Initiating Recovery, Improving Function and Enhancing Quality of Life
If you’re facing illness or injury, Rehabilitation Services at University of Cincinnati Medical Center can help you begin your recovery process and return to the highest level of function and quality of life possible.
Quickly Assessing Patients and Providing Rehab Programs for Improved Outcomes
Our team is part of the area’s only hospital providing care for patients who need the services of a Level I Trauma Center,
adult Burn Center or the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute. We’re able to quickly see and assess critically ill patients and get the earliest start possible on initiating their care and recovery programs. These programs are individualized to meet patients’ specific health needs. Your care team follows you through your entire course of care and will evaluate and adjust the program as needed. The goal is to determine the best and safest next steps in treatment and functional recovery.
Your care team may include physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, physiatrists, social workers and nurses who specialize in the treatment of critically ill or injured patients. Many of our therapists hold advanced degrees and/or nationally recognized certifications. As a teaching hospital, we’re committed to research to develop new treatments and services to improve on patient care.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Services May Include:
Physical Therapy
Our physical therapists focus on your performance and safety of mobility and movement. We concentrate on basic mobility skills such as bed mobility, transfers and ambulation training to maximize your function. For example, if you need a walker, wheelchair, cane or other assistive device to help you walk, we’ll teach you how to use it. Our physical therapists may also work with you on an exercise program to maximize your range of motion, strength and endurance. Another component of functional mobility training focuses on balance training to improve your safety during movement.
Occupational Therapy
Your treatment will focus on helping you with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) –dressing, bathing, feeding and grooming. Our occupational therapists will work with you to provide compensatory skills to complete ADLs. Adaptive equipment, such as a shower seat or bedside commode, may be recommended to assist in the completion of ADLs. Our occupational therapists also focus on the function of your upper extremities, providing strengthening and fine motor skills retraining. If your therapist determines that you require more specialized positioning, custom splints may be provided. We will also assess your cognition and safety awareness to determine if your comprehension, reasoning skills and judgment enable you to safely perform daily living functions in your home.
Speech Language Pathology
Our speech pathologists provide treatment to help with speech, language, swallowing and cognition. Nursing staff may first conduct a dysphagia screen to determine if you can eat to support your health. A speech pathologist may also provide an appropriate follow-up evaluation or treatment steps.
Your speech pathologist may recommend the Fiber Optic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) evaluation, an innovative testing procedure performed at University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Conducted at your bedside, it assesses swallowing, without x-rays. It instead uses a small, flexible scope to examine your throat and voice box, and record images as you swallow food and liquids.
Our physical, occupational and speech therapists collaborate to optimize patient care and provide an extensive range of expertise. Our therapists are also active in teaching at graduate level programs at University of Cincinnati and Xavier University.