Appropriate patients are key to success
Choosing cases for home care takes planning
The key to a successful home rehabilitation program is picking patients who are appropriate for the services, says Helen Cioschi, MSN, CRNP, CRRN, administrative director of Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation’s ortho-medical division.
"We see this as a real partnership with payer case managers and referring institutions. We can’t do it successfully unless we all agree on the appropriateness of the patient for the program," she says.
Here are the criteria patients must meet to be admitted to the Rehab at Home program:
- They must need physician and rehabilitation nursing services.
- They must be able to participate in up to three hours of rehab therapy for five or six days a week.
- They must be medically stable, although they may be on IVs or respirators and have other illness and medical conditions, such as diabetes.
- They must have realistic and practical goals that can be met in a reasonable period of time in the home and community setting.
- The family must agree to participate in the Rehab at Home concept and be willing to take an active part in the rehabilitation process.
- The patient must be willing to be released from the hospital and to receive services at home.
- The home environment must be safe and in a condition favorable for the rehab process to take place. For instance, broken floor boards could create a hazard for disabled patients.
- The home must have a working telephone.
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