Frequently Asked Questions About Sharp Rehabilitation

Frequently Asked Questions About Sharp Rehab

Sharp Rehabilitation Services — From Possibility to Ability

For nearly 45 years Sharp Rehabilitation Center has provided comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services to Southern Californians.
Our continuum of rehabilitation care includes programs and services designed to address all types of injuries and illness. From the basic orthopedic injuries to complex conditions, such as stroke, brain injury and spinal cord injury, Sharp provides specialized programs and services to meet each individual’s needs. In addition, Sharp is the leader in providing support services to families and care-givers.

The following are some of the more frequently asked questions.

What type of patients do you serve?

Age range is between 14 and 90 +. Regardless of injury or illness, patients are seen if they have physical and cognitive functional limitations that can benefit from our services.

What types of inpatient services are offered?

All programs and services are individualized with your treatment team. The team is lead by a Physiatrist (physician that specializes in Rehabilitation) and includes nurses, physical, occupational, speech and occupational therapists. Other team members include social workers, psychologists, case managers and discharge planners. The patient and family are at the center of the team. Your team will meet at regular intervals to review your progress.

What types of specialized programs are offered?

Sharp rehab offers specialized programs for stroke, brain injury, spinal cord and other neuro musculoskeletal injuries.

How does inpatient rehabilitation differ from an acute hospital?

Patients and families should understand that an inpatient rehabilitation is different than an Intensive Care hospital setting. During the first 24 hours at an inpatient rehabilitation center, patients will receive an extensive assessment from various health care professionals to determine their physical, therapeutic and psychological needs. Following this assessment, and in collaboration with the patient and family, an aggressive “plan of care” is developed.
Once the plan of care is outlined, patients are expected to work hard to participate in scheduled therapies and educational programs. Families and care givers are also encouraged to participate. This insures that the patient and family receive the most from their time spent in the rehabilitation program.

How long do patients stay for inpatient rehabilitation services?

Length of stay is based on each individual’s treatment goals and determined by the rehabilitation team. The rehabilitation treatment team continually monitors the patient’s progress and works with the patient and family/care-giver in preparing for discharge. Currently, our average length of stay is approximately 19 days. Depending on type of injury, length of stay can range from 10 - 40 days.

What happens after discharge?

Sharp offers an extensive list of outpatient therapy programs and services to help patients increase functional abilities. These services may be offered here at Sharp Memorial rehabilitation Center or at our other rehabilitation centers located through out San Diego County. In addition to therapy services, Sharp offers a variety of support activities and groups to help with re-integration into community living.

Is the cost of Inpatient Rehabilitation covered by my insurance?

In most cases the answer is “yes”. However, health insurance is more complex than ever before. Sharp will provide a knowledgeable and experienced staff to address insurance questions and concerns.

How do you measure your success?

Several measures are tracked to determine success. Upon admission to the Rehabilitation Center, every inpatient is rated on their abilities to perform activities such as dressing, mobility, communication. Through-out the inpatient rehabilitation stay, progress measured and tracked and at discharge, each patient is rated and increased functional ability is documented.
83% of our patients return to home at discharge. After discharge, each patient is contacted to determine their status and progress and to measure their level of satisfaction with the services they received. During 2005, our patient satisfaction scores were as follows:

94.1% Overall patient satisfaction
94.3% Likely to recommend Sharp Rehab to others
95.4% Sharp Rehab Program helped you reach your goals