Requirements for Inpatient Rehabilitation Beds

Inpatient rehabilitation programs are places where people go to recover physical functioning, usually after an illness or injury. Rehabilitation can include help with psychological, social, economic and cognitive factors related to physical recovery. These programs usually are medically based and take place in either hospital or nursing facilities. These programs can be useful because they help to increase physical independence in daily life skills. In order to secure a bed in an inpatient rehabilitation program, the patient must meet certain specific requirements.

Referral

• Patients obtain a bed in an impatient rehabilitation facility via a referral. Referrals are formal recommendations from health care providers. For rehabilitation programs, they often come from medical doctors in hospitals, where rehabilitation is part of the discharge plan after a hospital stay. Some facilities specifically require a physician's referral, though referrals may also come from families, personal physicians, social workers, case managers, nurses and other health care professionals.

Payment

• Admission to a rehabilitation center also requires the ability to pay for provided services. Most private insurance programs cover the cost of rehabilitation, though they may have specific criteria and stipulations. For example, both Medicare and Medicaid cover rehabilitation services fees, but Medicare is more likely to cover rehabilitation from specific diagnosis, such as a stroke, spinal cord injury, congenital deformity, amputation, major multiple trauma, fracture of the femur, brain injury, neurological disorders, burns, certain types of arthritis including osteoarthritis, certain types of hip and joint replacements. Some hospitals may admit patients without the means to pay and offer financial assistance or payment plans.

Physical Criteria

• Most rehabilitation centers have certain physical requirements that must be met in order to secure a bed. Requirements vary by center but generally include that the patient has a problem in a major area of functioning such as mobility, pain, self-care or safety. The patient must be able to participate in certain types of therapy, such as physical, speech or occupational therapy. She must be medically stable, but not able to be helped in a less-intensive setting. Rehabilitation centers also often require that the patient have potential to improve and work towards a realistic discharge plan.