Patient Admission Criteria
The rehabilitation team at Willis-Knighton is highly skilled in managing the complexity of medical, physical cognitive and psychological issues patients encounter as they work to maximize their full potential. These patients require medical management, intensive therapy, education and training to improve strength, endurance, and functional skills with the goal of returning to a meaningful life. To be eligible for admission to the rehabilitation program patients must be:
- Medically complex but not ventilator dependent
- Age 13 or older (Patients under age 18 must be followed by a pediatrician)
- Able to follow commands
- Able to make significant functional improvement
- Able to tolerate and willing to participate in at least three hours of therapy per day
- In need of a hospital level of care for close physician supervision and 24 hour rehabilitation nursing
- Diagnosed with one of the following conditions which has caused considerable functional deficits:
- Stroke
- Amputations of the lower extremity
- Brain injury
- Multiple trauma
- Spinal cord injury (including traumatic and non-traumatic injuries that are complete or incomplete for cervical levels C5 and below. The injury level, extent of completeness and other medical factors are assessed on an individual basis.)
- Neurological disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Guillain-Barre’ syndrome
- Post polio syndrome
- West Nile virus
- Complex orthopedic disorders
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Hip fracture
- Joint replacement
- Spine Surgery
- Medically complex debility
- Cancer
- Cardiac conditions
The program does not accept individuals who are ventilator dependent, on telemetry or who are at risk to harm themselves or others. Candidates with weight bearing restrictions or other activity limitations will be considered individually. Caregivers must be able to participate in training for skill carryover and safe management of the patient in the home and community prior to discharge.