Finding the right rehabilitation hospital is crucial to reaching your maximum recovery. With spinal cord injuries, recovery looks different for each person injured. The maximum physical recovery you are able to make depends on your level of injury and whether your injury is “complete” or “incomplete”. The amount of physical recovery you are able to obtain also depends on the quality of your rehabilitation and healthcare providers. The more experienced, specialized, and hands-on your rehab providers are, the better chance you have of reaching your maximum recovery. Picking the best rehab hospital possible is key when trying to recover as fully as possible.
There are five main aspects you should look for while choosing a rehabilitation hospital: specialized SCI rehab, outpatient programs and long-term care, frequent therapy, 24/7 experienced care, and on-site specialists.
Specialized Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
Make sure your rehab hospital specializes in spinal cord injury care. It is important that your rehab specialists have vast experience in treating spinal cord injury patients due to the complicated nature of spinal cord injuries. When looking at a specific rehab center, ask how many patients on average they treat for spinal cord injuries every year, and do not be afraid to inquire how many years of experience their staff members have in treating spinal cord injury patients. There are many specialized rehabilitation hospitals and neurological centers located across the nation. For a list of spinal cord injury-specific rehab hospitals, visit https://www.sci-info-pages.com/hospitals-and-rehabilitation-centers/.
Outpatient Programs and Long-Term Care
Your rehabilitation center will be preparing you to live life as fully as possible outside of the hospital. Part of preparing you for life outside of the hospital is considering outpatient therapy programs and long-term care plans. Make sure the rehabilitation center of your choosing offers outpatient therapy, and if they do not, make sure they can refer you to experienced outpatient therapy programs in the area. One of the main focuses of your rehab center should be developing a long-term plan of care. Ask how your rehab center develops long-term care plans for their patients, including discharge plans. Ensure that your rehab center will be able to make your transition from hospital to home as seamless as possible.
Frequent Therapy
Rehabilitation centers are required to provide patients with at least three hours of therapy for five days each week. This includes occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy. As a rehab patient, you should be looking to receive as much therapy as possible in order to reach your maximum recover. When looking at a rehab center, ask how much therapy you would receive each day, and ask what about the types of therapy you will be doing. The more hours of therapy each week, the better!
24/7 Experienced Care
Your ideal rehab hospital should provide 24/7 care while you are in rehabilitation. 24/7 care includes nurses, physicians, and all other necessary medical professionals. Many health problems can arise from a spinal cord injury, such as abnormal blood pressure and respiratory issues, and you should ensure that your rehabilitation center is equipped with the professionals and services you need while newly injured. When choosing a rehab facility, ask if the 24/7 medical staff specializes in caring for spinal cord injury patients. Make sure the staff that will be caring for you has the experience and knowledge necessary to help you with everything you will need.
On-Site Specialists and Other Services
As stated above, many health issues can arise while living with a spinal cord injury. Because of this, and because there is more risk for unexpected health problems when you are newly injured, it is extremely helpful to have on-site specialists such as surgeons available at your rehabilitation hospital. Ask about the different on-site medical and surgical specialists that your rehab center has available, and ensure they have a wide variety of professionals to provide you with a full spectrum of care during rehab.
Contact Us Today
There are many other factors to consider when choosing a rehab hospital, such as family involvement, supplemental programs, and location of the facility. The wide variety of aspects to consider while choosing a rehabilitation hospital can be overwhelming. Fortunately, the Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm not only seeks justice for those with spinal cord injuries, but we provide resources and information to people with spinal cord injuries as well. We live with spinal cord injuries, too, and we are always willing to help point you in the right direction! Contact us at 1-877-SCI-FIRM or kelley@spinalcordinjurylawyers.com today with questions on which rehabilitation hospital you should choose.
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