Acute Rehabilitation Unit

Specialized Program to Treat General Rehabilitation Patients

Loyola Medicine has two acute rehabilitation units offering intensive therapy with high levels of medical and nursing care to help patients regain as much independence and function as possible.

The inpatient rehab unit at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital is comprised of 20 private patient rooms and the inpatient rehab unit at MacNeal Hospital is comprised of 12 private patient rooms. Each room is wheelchair-accessible and designed especially for rehabilitation patients. Your doctor will refer you to this level of care if you meet specific requirements for intense rehabilitation, including:

• Need two of three types of therapy (physical, occupational and/or speech)
• Need 24-hour physician and nursing services
• Are able to participate in three hours of therapy per day

Loyola Medicine’s acute rehabilitation units treat patients in need of general rehabilitation or who are recovering from a wide range of conditions, including:

• Brain injury
• Burns
• Cancer
• Heart surgery
• Neurological diseases
• Orthopaedic injuries
• Spinal cord injury
• Stroke
• Transplant surgery

Some patients face complications from a medical procedure or a long hospital stay. Patients in the rehabilitation unit benefit from specialized, certified care that is proven to produce more favorable results than most acute rehabilitation units.

Why choose Loyola Medicine's Acute Inpatient Rehab?

• According to a 2014 MedPac Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities return patients home faster than other types of post-acute programs.
• Provides integration with the Loyola University Health System, Loyola doctors, electronic medical records, and Loyola Medicine laboratory and x-ray services.
• Is CARF accredited

Integrated Acute Rehabilitation Team for Patient Treatment and Support

Your acute rehabilitation team is led by a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist and may also include:

• Dietitians who will evaluate your nutritional needs and eating difficulties to develop a plan that ensures proper nutrition during rehabilitation and after discharge from the hospital.
• Clinical psychologists to evaluate and treat patients who have conditions that result in problems with memory, behavior, coping or mood.
• Occupational therapists that evaluate patients and provide therapy services focused on tasks and movements associated with daily living.
• Patient-care rehabilitation technicians that help patients accomplish personal tasks, such as eating, bathing and dressing.
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, also known as physiatrists, evaluate the cognitive, physical, recreational, social, vocational and occupational function of impaired patients. They diagnose problems and develop rehabilitation treatment programs that help restore lost function.
• Physical therapists provide evaluation, rehabilitation and treatment for a variety of conditions that affect overall movement and the ability to walk.
• Recreational therapists provide treatment, education and recreation services to help patients develop and use their leisure time in ways that enhance their health, independence and well-being.
• Registered nurses help your team plan, coordinate and manage treatment. They provide patients and families with the care, education and support they need to set and reach goals for achieving their highest level of functioning.
• Social workers help patients and families access the resources they need during treatment and plan their discharge from the hospital to home or the next level of care.
• Speech and language pathologists evaluate and provide therapy services to patients who have difficulties with communicating, cognitive function and swallowing. Learn more about speech and language therapy.

You will find your rehabilitation team encouraging, supportive and dedicated to making your stay as pleasant as possible. We expect you, as a patient, to be focused on your goals, attend all therapy sessions and practice your therapy exercises and activities with the nursing staff.

What to Expect at the Acute Rehabilitation Unit

Our acute rehabilitation team will assist, encourage and support you and your family, in addition to planning any care you may need after discharge.

What you can expect

• Although each patient’s treatment plan is unique, inpatient rehabilitation generally includes a minimum of 3 hours of therapy treatment, five days per week.
• Frequency, intensity and duration of daily activity are determined by your care team and change as you progress.
• We encourage family participation to maximize long-term outcomes.

Your Goals: Milestones for becoming more independent

• Move safely by either walking or using a wheelchair
• Relearn activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, toileting and eating, to the greatest extent that your condition allows
• Learn how to eat safely if your swallowing has been affected
• Learn effective ways to communicate and solve problems

Our Expectations: Daily activities that bring improvement

• Actively participate in daily therapy.
• Getting dressed in comfortable clothes that will allow maximum flexibility.
• Eating meals sitting up in a chair.
• Learn about exercise programs you will be using at home.
• Learn any treatments you will need at home, including wound care, medication administration, blood glucose testing, insulin injections or use of special equipment.
• Participate in training sessions with your family or caregiver if you will need assistance at home.

Your Family or Caregivers: Welcomed members of the team

We invite family members and caregivers who will be helping you at home to come to therapy sessions. They will have the opportunity to encourage you and learn about your therapies, treatments and medications.

Your Safety: Avoiding falls

During rehabilitation, patients can be at risk of falling. When you need to use the bathroom, we will encourage you to ask for assistance by using the nurse call-light. For your safety, staff may be required to stay in the bathroom if you are assessed to be at high risk for falls.

Your Discharge: Planning ahead

Your rehabilitation team will work with you to set and monitor progress toward achieving your goals. Your case manager or social worker will explain your discharge plan. It will ensure that you get the help you need after you leave the acute rehabilitation unit.

Discharge doesn’t mean the end of therapy. Most patients need weeks or months of therapy in their home via home care, at an outpatient center or day rehabilitation, or in a skilled nursing facility. Overall, 80% of patients leaving our unit go home after their stay with us.

Common Questions About the Acute Rehabilitation Unit

How do I know if I need to go into the acute rehabilitation unit?

Your doctor will refer you to the unit if you need two of three types of therapy (physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy), require 24-hour hospital care or are able to participate in three hours of therapy per day.

How is the unit different from the rest of the hospital?

The rehab units are housed in a separate section of the hospital and have dedicated therapy gyms serving the program. The staff and facility are dedicated to abute inpatient rehabilitation care. Our patients and clinicians use the hospital’s diagnostic, laboratory, medical and pharmacy services. Tests or procedures are completed onsite, and results are readily available. Your primary Loyola doctor and specialists can visit you and will be in continual contact with your rehabilitation team.

What should I expect to accomplish in the acute rehabilitation unit?

You should gain independence in caring for yourself by being able to get around by walking or using a wheelchair; perform dressing, bathing, toileting and other activities of daily living; eat and swallow effectively and safely; and be able to communicate and solve problems. The level of independence gained during your stay will depend on your condition. Your rehabilitation team will help plan for any additional assistance you may need when you are discharged.

Will I go home when I am discharged?

It depends on your condition and progress. On average, about 80% of Loyola Medicine’s acute inpatient rehabilitation patients return to the community (home, assisted living or similar places), 10% percent are discharged to a skilled nursing facility and 10% receive additional care in our hospitals.

What if I need help when I’m discharged?

Everyone needs some help after acute rehabilitation. The amount of help you need will depend on your condition, restrictions prescribed by your doctor and safety considerations. Your case manager or social worker will help arrange for the specific type of assistance you need.

Will therapy end when I’m discharged?

Rehabilitation is an ongoing process that can take weeks or months. If you’re able to leave your home, you may go to outpatient therapy or day rehabilitation. If you have difficulty leaving home, you may receive home care therapy and nursing visits one to three times per week.

Will my health insurance cover inpatient rehabilitation services?
Your private health insurance will review your records and must approve your admission to the rehabilitation unit before covering your care. Your rehabilitation team will review the details of your coverage and arrange for your transfer to us when admission is approved. Medicare and Medicaid cover inpatient rehabilitation under the same benefits they provide for any other hospital stay.

Are home care services covered by health insurance, Medicare and Medicaid?
In general, they cover only skilled services provided by a healthcare professional, such as a registered nurse visit or visits by a physical, occupational or speech/language pathologist one to three times a week. Services such as caregiving, housekeeping and transportation are not covered.