Multidisciplinary Consultation Services
Reasons for a Rehabilitation Consultation
Colleagues who practice in fully managed care environments give us three primary reasons for obtaining a rehabilitation consultation.
Transfers
For patients who need prolonged recovery time, we determine and coordinate the next level of care (comprehensive rehabilitation, subacute rehabilitation, skilled nursing, or home health) based on the optimal recovery potential for the patient and the cost effectiveness of available services.
Evaluation
A coordinated rehabilitation evaluation yields information that we use to plan the remainder of acute (episodic) care and to prevent secondary complications associated with multiple comorbidities and other disabling conditions. In a managed care environment, we also work with the primary care team to monitor and reduce readmission, especially for loss of function and other rehabilitation-related issues.
Intervention
We coordinate rehabilitative interventions and provide a menu of rehabilitative care that is used by the primary care referral source and the group practice to monitor resource utilization and outcomes.
Patient Populations
Candidates for rehabilitation consultations include but are not limited to individuals with the following medical diagnoses:
- amputation
- dysvascular disease
- brain disorders
- TBI
- CVA
- tumors
- encephalopathies
- burns
- cancer and AIDS rehabilitation needs
- cardiopulmonary rehabilitation needs
- neuromuscular disorders
- myopathies
- NMJ disorders
- neuropathies
- plexopathies
- radiculopathies
- motor neuron disorders
- orthopedic/polytrauma
- spinal cord injury
- myelomeningocoele
- tumor-associated
- infectious
- trauma
Resident Rotation
After receiving a consultation request, clinic staff page the resident, who then goes to see the patient and completes a consultation form. Later, an attending physiatrist will see the patient and review the consultation form. Residents and attendings contact referring physicians when necessary.