How to Choose a Specialty Hospital
How to Choose a Specialty Hospital
Choosing a rehabilitation facility for someone who has had a catastrophic
injury is one of the most important and difficult decisions you
may face. As you carefully explore your alternatives and tour
prospective facilities, you are encouraged to consider asking
the following questions:
- How many patients are who have injuries similar to the patient
I know are treated per year?
- How many patients are being treated right now?
- Are patients’ ages about the same as the patient I know?
- Is the facility a specialty center, and if so, for how long? What
specialty accreditations does the facility have?
- How many years of experience do the physicians have, on average?
Staff? Staff?
- How long have the physicians practiced at the facility? Full-time
or part-time?
- Which physicians, therapists, and other professionals will work
with the patient I know?
- Who will be the patient’s primary physician, and does he/she specialize
in either spinal cord or brain injury?
- Is air transportation available?
- Are specialty education programs available for patients and families?
What are they?
- What is the family’s role? What are the policies regarding family
visitation?
- Is their designated low cost housing available?
- Who will help with discharge planning before the patient comes
home?
- Are long-term follow-up services provided?
- Are the physicians and staff currently involved with research
and training?
- What is the caseload size for the nursing, treatment, and counseling
staff?
Families are encouraged to take notes when asking these questions
as a way to compare programs.
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