Patience, effort and support are three key ingredients for successful rehabilitation. When you’re experiencing any sort of injury, chronic illness or disability, there’s a journey toward having the best physical, mental and emotional health possible. It’s important that there’s continuous care for a patient, even once they start to show significant improvement.
When people think about what an outpatient medical rehabilitation center does, they likely think about having a couple of sessions a week for a few months. But that’s not the end of it. The reason why it’s an effective option for so many people is because of the continuum of care in place at many rehabilitation centers. It can help patients throughout different transitions of their lives that may be impacted by their injury, illness or disability.
We’ll talk about the benefits of continuum of care at an outpatient medical rehabilitation center. Then we’ll talk about how Ability KC’s continuum of care model allows us to help at different stages in a patient’s life.
The benefits of a continuum of care for outpatient medical rehab patients
Every patient at a medical rehabilitation center deserves to have treatment that’s as personalized and adaptable as possible. That’s why it can be beneficial for patients to work with an outpatient medical rehabilitation that has a continuum of care model.
A continuum of care is a concept that’s used by many healthcare facilities, including outpatient medical rehabilitation. It means having consistent care for a patient over an extended period of time. It’s adapted to what they need at any given point in their recovery journey and allows patients to have resources and guidance, even after their initial treatment is over.
Here are a few of the benefits of seeking outpatient medical rehabilitation with a continuum of care model in place:
- Adjustment to current needs — The goal of continuum of care is to move the patient along the recovery journey based on the needs that must be met at certain times. It’s important that every patient receives the treatment they need that caters best to their current capabilities. This often means moving up to more intensive treatment for severe or critical needs. It could mean moving down to less intensive services to increase their independence.
- Striving toward new goals — Successful medical rehabilitation is based on attainable yet challenging goals that give the providers the chance to personalize the treatments as much as possible. As patients progress, so do their goals. For example, a continuum of care means that a patient with a leg amputation can have their treatment changed once they adapt to walking with their prosthetic. Then their treatment can be adjusted for a new goal later on, such as learning how to drive with it.
- Sustainable growth — A person with a disability, illness or injury should have their mental and physical health continuously cared for, even after significant growth. Without a continuum of care, it’s possible to lose that momentum and possibly regress, which can increase the risk of recurring or worsening issues. With continuous supportive treatment as they improve, patients are able to achieve sustainable growth. It keeps them pushing toward being the best version of themselves that they can be.
- Dependable support system — When a patient has continuous support from healthcare experts they trust, they’re more likely to stay motivated. It keeps them pushing through treatment, especially when it gets frustrating. With a continuum of care, patients are spending extensive periods of time with medical rehab experts. They can form a relationship that’s built on trust and open communication. A dependable support system is essential for anyone moving through their rehabilitation journey.
Ability KC provides outpatient medical rehabilitation center services with continuum of care
A person with a disability, critical illness or injury should feel like their feelings and ambitions are supported as they go through rehabilitation. Their feelings should also be validated and considered. Ability KC‘s continuum of care is utilized in every treatment plan. We strive to provide patients with care at different stages throughout their lifetime. We’ll continue to be a resource and support system as patients and their families move toward recovery.
Ability KC is a designated Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF). We also have a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.