University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s Requard Center for Acute Rehabilitation was recently awarded reaccreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for a three-year period. CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value and optimal outcomes of rehabilitation services provided in hospitals and other healthcare organizations.
In the notification letter to UM Shore Regional Health, Brian J. Boon, PhD, CARF’s president and CEO, wrote, “This achievement is an indication of your organization’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of the lives the of the persons served. Services, personnel, and documentation clearly indicate an established pattern of practice excellence.”
As the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to a rehabilitation facility, CARF validates the Requard Center for Acute Rehabilitation’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards. To earn this three-year reaccreditation, Center staff participated in a rigorous peer review process and demonstrated to CARF surveyors that its programs and services are of the highest quality. Located on the 5th floor of UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, Requard has maintained continuous CARF accreditation since 2009.
Ken Kozel, president and CEO of UM Shore Regional Health, congratulated the Requard team, saying, “Achieving this reaccreditation is a testament to the clinical excellence and team work that patients experience every day in Requard. This accomplishment reflects the outstanding skills, professionalism and dedication of our physicians, nurses, therapists and therapy assistants.”
Since its opening in 2007, Requard has served approximately 4,000 patients. Providing hospital-level care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it is the only acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital on the Mid-Shore and one of only two such rehabilitation facilities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Requard addresses the medical and rehabilitation needs of individuals aged 18 and older who are experiencing impairments from a wide variety of medical conditions, including neurological impairments associated with stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Guillain-Barre, orthopedic conditions associated with fractures, and post surgical recovery after spine procedures or joint replacement. Other medical conditions treated at Requard include multiple trauma, amputations, brain injury, spinal cord injury, cardiac and pulmonary conditions and cancer.
The Requard Center operates under the medical direction of Stephen Wills, MD, who is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation. The Center’s team includes specialists in rehabilitation nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, case management and quality/outcomes management.
Says Dr. Wills, “Our job is to help patients regain their independence and skills after a serious injury or illness. We focus on the whole person, involving their family members and other loved ones in our team oriented process. Receiving CARF reaccreditation validates the team’s ongoing dedication to meeting the highest standards of clinical care while sharing messages of hope and confidence with patients and their families.”
Requard Center facilities include a specialized rehabilitation gym and an additional separate treatment area that includes a dedicated life skills learning center. These areas utilize smart technology equipment for advanced evaluation and treatment of gait and also for arm/wrist/hand rehabilitation. There is an apartment, complete with refrigerator, stove, sink and laundry, that is used by the staff to help individuals regain their functional abilities and confidence for independent living.
The Center’s team maintains contact with the patient following discharge to assess progress and offer assistance. Individuals who require ongoing rehabilitation may continue with home care and outpatient rehabilitation.
Bill Roth, senior director of Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services for Shore Regional Health who is himself a CARF surveyor, notes, “One hallmark of a CARF accredited program is ongoing interaction with all stakeholders to evaluate what services are needed and to assess that services are provided in ways that are most helpful to patients and their families. The importance of obtaining feedback and ideas cannot be understated, as it assures that what we offer continues to be of value to our patients and to our community.”
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