Dear Cheryl:
My husband will be having surgery on his back and hip in a few weeks. His surgeon has recommended that we tour and choose a rehab center before he goes to the hospital for surgery.
We started exploring his options in the Columbus area and are a little overwhelmed. How do we narrow the choice down to just one or two short-term rehab centers?
Sincerely,
Alice
Choosing a Short-term Rehab Center for Your Recovery
Dear Alice:
I understand how you might feel overwhelmed. There are many rehab centers in and around Columbus. But some are definitely more progressive and have a stronger record for delivering positive patient outcomes.
First, make sure the rehab centers you are considering really are rehab centers. It’s easy to confuse nursing homes who offer some rehab services with a true rehab center like Whetstone Gardens.
The ultimate goal of a rehab center is to help each patient continue their recovery and return home. A nursing home, on the other hand, is a place where older adults or people with disabilities live on a permanent basis.
Here are a few other tips to help you make an informed choice:
- Ask the rehab center how many patients are admitted and discharged from their community in an average month. A higher patient volume is a sign of a strong rehab program.
- Ask the rehab center how many patients are admitted and discharged from their community in an average month. A higher patient volume is a sign of a strong rehab program.
- See if you can discover what third party alliances the rehab center has. Ask which Columbus area hospitals they have partnerships with to help you determine what level of confidence local health care leaders have in the rehab center.When you are comparing one rehab center with another, be certain to ask the rehab director at each one what their rehab to home success rate is. The average for most Columbus area rehab centers is only about 50-60% compared with 94% for Whetstone Gardens.
- When you are comparing one rehab center with another, be certain to ask the rehab director at each one what their rehab to home success rate is. The average for most Columbus area rehab centers is only about 50-60% compared with 94% for Whetstone Gardens.Ask about the education and experience of the rehab team.
- Ask about the education and experience of the rehab team. Also find out how long they have been on a part of the rehab center’s staff. Longevity combined with experience can make a big difference in how quickly and completely a patient recovers from an illness or planned surgery.
Finally, pay attention to the non-verbal cues of rehab team members when you tour a rehab center. Do they seem confident in their skills and abilities? That is another positive sign that the rehab center is a good one.
Please feel free to call if you have additional questions or if you would like to schedule a time for a personal tour. I will be happy to help!
Cheryl Beckman,
Director of Rehab
