What You Should Know

Choosing a rehabilitation facility for someone who’s had a catastrophic injury is one of the most important and difficult decisions you may face— one that can make a critical difference in your recovery. As you carefully explore your alternatives and tour prospective facilities, you’ll want to ask the following questions:

Does the program specialize in rehabilitation?

For more than 50 years, the Detroit Medical Center's (DMC) Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) has been dedicated to helping people rebuild their life after a disabling injury or illness. As a national leader in the delivery of physical medicine and rehabilitation services, RIM has become a trusted organization that attracts patients and health care professionals from around the world.

RIM treats over 1,000 patients annually and specializes in treating patients with spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, amputations, complex orthopedic, and other neurological conditions.

With its 94 bed inpatient hospital located at the DMC and 23 outpatient therapy sites throughout southeastern Michigan, RIM is one of the nation's largest hospitals specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

How is the level of care at an acute rehabilitation hospital different from a community hospital?

RIM is southeast Michigan’s only freestanding acute rehabilitation hospital. Because our primary focus is rehabilitation, RIM provides a level of care distinctly different from other facilities and community hospitals that offer rehabilitation services.

Acute rehabilitation hospitals like RIM

· Provide more intensive therapeutic services
· Have more physician specialists with expertise in treating patients with disabling injuries or illnesses
· Have a higher percentage of registered nurses skilled in rehabilitation nursing
· Have the most highly trained therapists
· Offer the most innovative therapeutic programs
· Have the most up-to-date technologies and facilities
· Provide comprehensive patient/family education

What specialty accreditations does the facility have?

RIM is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). RIM also holds individual accreditation from CARF for our specialized programs in:

• Spinal Cord System of Care
• Brain Injury Inpatient Rehabilitation Program
• Brain Injury Outpatient Rehabilitation Program
• Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program

Is care provided on a specialized unit with staff experienced in treating the patient’s particular injury or illness?

Spinal cord injury (SCI) patients are admitted to an inpatient unit dedicated to the treatment of spinal cord injuries. Likewise, stroke patients and brain injury patients are treated on RIM’s Neuroscience Unit. Both the 26-bed SCI Unit and 26-bed Neuroscience Unit are staffed by rehab professionals with specialty training and expertise in treating the unique needs of this patient population. The specialty units allow for patients and families to interact and gain support from other patients with the same diagnosis.

Is care provided by an interdisciplinary team of rehabilitation professionals under the direction of a physician who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation?

At RIM, individualized treatment is provided by a team of healthcare professionals led by a physiatrist (a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation.) Other members of the treatment team include specialists in: rehabilitation nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, respiratory therapy, recreational therapy, nutrition, neuropsychology, and social work/case management.

Because we are a part of a large university affiliated medical center we also have the ability to consult with other specialists as needed who are trained and skilled in cutting edge technology and treatment to best meet our patients’ needs.

Who will be the patient’s primary physician, and what does he/she specialize in?

As an acute rehabilitation hospital, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan has more physician specialists with expertise in treating patients with disabling injuries or illnesses than other facilities and community hospitals.

Patient care is led by board-certified physiatrists (a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation.) In addition RIM has three physicians with a board certified subspecialty in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine.

Does the program provide a continuum of care?

RIM provides a comprehensive spectrum of both inpatient and outpatient services, including a wide variety of specialty services, and access to community resources, so that patients can receive the right care in the right setting.

In addition to RIM’s 94-bed inpatient hospital, we also operate over 30 outpatient therapy sites throughout southeast Michigan.

Is the facility involved in and recognized for research?

RIM has been awarded over $16 million in federal and private grants for rehabilitation research focusing on restoring function, improving quality of life and developing innovative therapeutic techniques.

In addition, RIM is one of only 20 centers in the U.S. to be federally designated as a Model System of Care for traumatic brain injury. A Model System of Care is a center for excellence for both treatment and research, funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

Will patients have on-site access to emergency services in case of serious illness or major complications? And access to other specialists?

RIM is connected to one of the nation’s most respected medical institutions, the Detroit Medical Center. Within minutes our patients have access to the latest in radiological imaging, laboratories, emergency medicine and acute care. Twenty-four hour patient care is also provided.

Because we are a part of a large university affiliated medical center we also have the ability to consult with other specialists as needed who are trained and skilled in cutting edge technology and treatment to best meet our patients’ needs.

Does the facility actively involve patients and families in decision-making?

At RIM, patients and families are an active part of the rehabilitation process. Family support and understanding is important to a successful rehabilitation.

Patients and their family members are also essential to the treatment process, making informed decisions about treatment goals, inpatient and outpatient services, follow-up care, home adjustments and other special needs.

Family and/or caregivers are encouraged to become familiar with the way rehabilitation works, and are encouraged to participate in family conferences and family instruction, both of which will help them understand their loved ones abilities, therapy sessions and treat­ment.

Who will help with discharge planning before the patient comes home?

Case Managers at RIM coordinate discharge planning to ensure patient needs will be met after leaving the hospital. They will help patients and families find and use community resources, including care assistance and alternative living situations, which can ease the patient’s return home. Case managers also assist with scheduling follow-up doctor’s appointments and coordinating outpatient therapy.