Mercy Now Offers Inpatient Rehabilitation to Complete Full Continuum of Care
Mercy announces the opening of its new Rehabilitation Center , located on the 7th floor of the hospital’s inpatient tower. The opening of the center next week marks the first time in Mercy’s history that inpatient rehabilitation has been offered.
The eight-bed center will specialize in returning patients to their homes after life-changing injuries, such as brain injuries, stroke, spinal cord injuries, amputations and other orthopedic conditions. Those patients often need intensive rehabilitation before they are able to return to the normal functions of everyday living. The Rehabilitation Center offers a more intensive and comprehensive spectrum of care than a traditional skilled nursing unit.
Tim Charles, president and CEO of Mercy Medical Center, says, “The opening of Mercy’s Rehabilitation Center completes the continuum of care that our patients expect and deserve. The individualized services and support offered here will help improve the quality of life of our patients.”
Patients will be cared for by a team of professionals that includes the patient’s physician, nurses, physical therapists, speech therapists, respiratory therapists and recreational therapists. Team members work together to improve the patient’s social, cognitive and functional skills as well as adjustment to illness or injury.
The Center will include rehabilitative devices and functional home-like amenities such as a tub and shower room, washer and dryer, and a full-size kitchen.
“The Center will emphasize individualized treatment plans for each patient, administered by licensed professionals,” says Scott Gardner, administrator of Mercy’s Rehabilitation Services. “We will be able to help patients re-learn basic life skills such as cooking, bathing, and transferring to and from a car. A device called a LiteGait will enable patients to walk with the assistance of an overhead harness.”
The Center completes the full range of care for the Joint Commission Accredited Primary Stroke Center . This means that Mercy has passed an in-depth review of its services and meets nationally-recognized service and quality standards and is focused on delivering the very best care to patients.
A public open house will be held Friday, June 1, from 3 to 5 p.m. on Mercy’s 7th floor. For each guest in attendance, Mercy will donate $1 to the East Central Iowa Brain Injury Association of Iowa.
