Understanding Rehabilitation Hospitals
For individuals looking for rehabilitation options for themselves or a loved one following certain medical events, understanding what services rehabilitation hospitals offer and how they compare to other treatment centers is an important part of making the right treatment decision.
Rehabilitation hospitals are inpatient hospitals where patients can go to receive acute care that includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and related treatments that focus on helping patients rebuild functional and cognitive skills following events like stroke, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, hip replacements, or similar conditions.
Patients can also receive social worker assistance and neuropsychological treatment assistance in rehabilitation hospitals.
“The ultimate goal of a rehabilitation hospital is to help patients recover and be able to return to functioning as independently as possible in their homes.”
The ultimate goal of a rehabilitation hospital is to help patients recover and be able to return to functioning as independently as possible in their homes. Patients will receive targeted and intensive therapy for three hours per day at least five days per week while at a rehab hospital in order to facilitate quick and efficient recovery.
The Difference Between Rehab Hospitals and Skilled Nursing Facilities
One of the most common misconceptions among patients is that rehabilitation hospitals and skilled nursing facilities are interchangeable and offer the same services. In reality, they both serve entirely different purposes and focus on different aspects of patient recovery and care.
Skilled Nursing Facilities
A skilled nursing facility (SNF) is a treatment center that is geared towards acute medical care of patients, where the goal is primarily to help the patient live comfortably within a care center rather than helping them to return home. Patients at SNFs are overseen by medical doctors who will see patients frequently to monitor their progress and overall health.
Therapy
While SNFs do provide some motor skill therapies for patients, therapy and rehabilitation is not often a focus of treatment in a skilled nursing facility. Therapies will often be performed more infrequently, often around once a week, and care is more focused on acute medical treatment. Patients who decide to enter skilled nursing facilities are often receiving treatment for medical disease or disorders and are often not there to recover from isolated injuries or events.
Rehabilitation Hospitals
Rehabilitation hospitals, or rehab hospitals, are geared towards short-term care to help patients recovering from injuries, medical procedures, or similar events regain their strength to return home.
Therapy
Therapies offered in rehab hospitals are intense and occur at a much more frequent rate than at skilled nursing facilities due to the difference in overall goals of each facility. Patients in rehabilitation hospitals will receive necessary therapies several times per week in addition to prescribed nursing and medical care. Patients are still overseen by medical doctors almost daily, and any medical conditions are closely monitored.
Which is Better for Me or My Loved One?
Determining whether a rehabilitation hospital or a skilled nursing facility is more appropriate for you or your loved one depends on a variety of factors including ultimate goal for the patient, prognosis for the patient’s recovery, and often what qualifications the patient needs to meet in order to be eligible for admission to a treatment center. Not only do rehab hospitals and SNFs have their own requirements and guidelines for admitting patients, but most insurance carriers also have specific requirements patients must meet in order for their stay to be covered.
“Accel Plano is a rehabilitation hospital serving Plano, Texas and surrounding areas, offering rehabilitation and therapy services for patients recovering from injuries, surgeries, or related incidents.”
Common situations where a rehabilitation hospital is the best choice for patient care include:
- Recovery from a stroke, brain injury, or related incident
- Recovery from major surgery such as a hip replacement or knee replacement
- Recovery from amputations
- Short-term care needs following a medical condition that has left the patient debilitated
- Recovery from broken bones/fractures or other major injuries
- Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis
- Frequent falls with injury
Circumstances where a skilled nursing facility may be a better choice for patient care include:
- The patient is not considered stable enough to live independently and rehabilitation will not improve their ability to do so
- The patient is in need of long-term care and may need to transfer to a long-term care facility following their SNF stay
- Skilled services (services that must be performed by a licensed medical professional) are needed frequently, sometimes daily
- Patient is being discharged from a hospital stay for a medical incident and needs skilled medical care for recovery
Accel Plano is a rehabilitation hospital serving Plano, Texas and surrounding areas, offering rehabilitation and therapy services for patients recovering from injuries, surgeries, or related incidents. We are focused on providing efficient and effective care to our patients to help them recover quickly and strongly so that they can return to independent living in their community.
“Determining the right rehabilitation program for yourself or a loved one is a critical process that requires a great deal of planning, consideration, and thought.”
Unlike a standard hospital Accel Plano focuses on providing services to patients with conditions that rehab services will help them recover from. In addition to our 42-bed inpatient program, Accel Plano can also assist with outpatient hyperbarics for patients not in an inpatient setting.
Determining the right rehabilitation program for yourself or a loved one is a critical process that requires a great deal of planning, consideration, and thought. At Accel Plano, our goal is to make the process as easy and seamless as possible for our patients. Our team of highly qualified and specialized therapists are dedicated to caring and compassionate rehabilitation care that will result in quality recovery. Our CEO, and qualified therapist, is available to help discuss you and your family’s rehabilitation needs.
Marla Wilson, OTR, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
Accel Rehabilitation Hospital of Plano
972.695.6475 Office
