Dr. Hoeflich has played a crucial role in developing and overseeing rehabilitation service for patients who have suffered devastating injuries, stroke and other debilitating medical conditions. More…
Rehabilitation Team
Physician: While you are a patient at PARC, your attending physician will be a "physiatrist": A physician who specializes in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. The focus of this specialty is on restoring maximum function. Your physiatrist will help lead your interdisciplinary team to help you accomplish this goal. Physiatrists serve all age groups and treat problems that affect all of the major systems in the body.
Nursing: When you are referred to PARC, the nursing process will begin with our Admission Coordinator. This person will work with your physician to determine if you meet the required criteria to be admitted to PARC. The Admission Coordinator also works with your insurance company to ensure a smooth transition of care.
Almost 40% of the Registered Nurses working on the PARC unit are certified within the rehab or geriatric nursing specialty. Certification is important: Research tells us that having certified specialty nurses on the unit improves patient outcomes.
PARC has a higher ratio of RNs on staff than the other facilities we measure ourselves against. The PARC nursing staff have each been practicing within the rehab setting for 15 years, on average. Rehab nurses focus on teaching the skills needed for medication management, bowel and bladder care, and proper skin care. In addition, because our nursing staff is part of the rehabilitation team, they have the skill and knowledge to reinforce what you are learning during your rehabilitation sessions. This level of involvement with your care is proven to help improve your function faster.
Physical Therapy: Your stay at PARC will include daily physical therapy. You will first have a comprehensive evaluation, and will then work with your therapist to develop a treatment plan based upon your current condition. This rehabilitation plan will be designed to improve the quality of your muscle tone, coordination, range of motion, balance, strength, endurance and/or joint flexibility. You'll be provided training on functional activities involving bed mobility, transfers, wheelchair mobility, walking, and use of equipment for mobility. If applicable, your therapy may also involve pre-prosthetic and orthotic evaluations, as well as equipment recommendations and fittings. Physical therapy will help you return to functioning as independently as possible.
Occupational Therapy: An occupational therapist focuses on evaluating and treating the skills you will need to adapt your physical ability to your activities of daily living. You will learn to manage your personal needs, such as dressing, bathing, and using adaptive equipment. Your occupational therapist will also help you improve your ability to use your fingers and hands, your perceptual skills, your eye-hand coordination, and your performance on cognitive testing. In some cases, your occupational therapist may help fabricate and fit splints for you.
Speech-Language Pathology: A speech-language pathologist evaluates and treats disorders involving speech, language, reading, writing, cognition, swallowing and voice. This expert may also evaluate the your need for an alternative communication system or hearing evaluation. Your speech-language pathologist will help you improve your cognitive abilities and social skills, including your use of language in social situations. He or she will also help you with your ability to problem-solve and to recall important information. Your speech-language pathologist will evaluate your ability to swallow and, if necessary, will create a treatment plan to help you learn safe swallowing precautions and improve your swallowing ability. Your diet may also be modified.
Recreational Therapist: This specialist may evaluate your leisure interests and skills. A recreational therapist can help determine and facilitate your leisure time activities, help you interact in group activities on the unit, and participate in off-campus community outings. Some of the activities that may be offered to you during your time at PARC include gardening, exercising, shopping, playing games and music, attending concerts and other community events, and/or making crafts. You will also be put in touch with community resources who can help you plan leisure activities after you are discharged from PARC.
