Inpatient rehabilitation programs

Team-Based rehab on the road to recovery

If you’re in a serious accident, have an injury or are dealing with a new condition or serious illness, you need the best possible care around the clock. Our inpatient rehabilitation programs offer 24/7 hospital-based care and expert therapy to help you start feeling like yourself again.

By working with a dedicated team of rehab physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and more, you’ll be on the road to recovery at a pace that matches your needs and health goals.

And that same level of support can continue with outpatient physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and home therapy services – so you get the exact level of care you need at every step of your healing journey.

Inpatient rehabilitation at Aurora

With a patient satisfaction rate of over 90% and convenient inpatient settings close to home, Aurora offers some of the most advanced rehabilitation care in the state. In fact, most of our patients return home or begin outpatient treatment after less than two weeks of hospital-based therapy.

People also choose Aurora Health Care because of our:

• Team approach to care – When you start inpatient rehab at Aurora, you’ll work with an integrated team of highly trained specialists. They’re doctors, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, recreational therapists and psychologists – all of whom have been specially trained in rehabilitation for your unique condition.
• Real-world environments – Our real-world and replica home environments are one-of-a-kind in Wisconsin. By practicing daily tasks in a real-world setting, you’ll be primed and ready to get back to the things you love once you leave the hospital.
• Outstanding outcomes – At our five locations throughout eastern Wisconsin, patients report high levels of success and satisfaction. In fact, all five of our inpatient rehab programs rank in the top quartile nationally. Maybe that’s because over 75% of our patients make a major improvement during their time with us, while nearly 100% show improvements on the Functional Independent Measurement (FIM) scale – a scale to measure whether rehab goals were met or exceeded.
• Advanced rehab technology – When you choose Aurora for inpatient rehabilitation, you’ll get access to the latest in rehab technology. That includes gaming systems like Nintendo Wii, electronic walking devices like Bioness NESS L300, and one of the most advanced electronic medical record systems in the area.
• Proven expertise – Our doctors are board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and our nurses are specially trained in rehabilitation. Together with the vast experience of our physical therapists and other specialists, our team uses their knowledge and expertise to get you moving again.

Inpatient rehab conditions

If you need help with mobility, safety, self-care or regaining cognitive skills, we’re here for you. Most of our inpatient rehabilitation patients seek care for one of the following conditions:

• Amputation
• Brain injury
• Multiple sclerosis
• Neurological conditions
• Orthopedic conditions
• Parkinson’s disease
• Spinal cord injury
• Stroke

Many conditions respond better to inpatient rehab than other types of care. For instance, the American Heart Association recommends inpatient rehab over nursing home care for stroke patients, stating that “initial rehabilitation should take place in an inpatient rehabilitation facility rather than a nursing home” whenever possible.

Am I a candidate for inpatient rehabilitation?

In order to start inpatient rehabilitation, you’ll need a referral from your doctor. We’ll then do a preadmission screening within one day of getting the referral. This screening helps us determine if inpatient rehab is right for you, or if you may need another course of treatment.

Inpatient rehabilitation may be the best option if you:

• Are medically stable and not on life support
• Need close medical supervision from a specialist
• Need 24/7 rehab nursing
• Need care from a multidisciplinary team
• Are able to participate in an intensive rehab program

If we decide inpatient rehab will benefit you, you’ll be assigned a rehab doctor to guide your care every step of the way.

If another treatment option would be better, we’ll make sure you get the referrals, appointments and recommendations you need to get the care that’s right for you.

Inpatient rehab at Aurora St. Luke’s

Starting your path to recovery

When you start inpatient rehabilitation, you’ll work with a dedicated team of experts committed to your success. Together, you’ll create a plan of care that addresses your specific needs, challenges and goals.

You’ll spend up to three hours each day working with your doctors, nurses and therapists to practice real-world skills, including:

• Walking
• Bathing
• Thinking
• Talking
• Dressing yourself
• Learning new ways to function at home
• Eating out
• Shopping at the grocery store
• Getting out into the community

You’ll use our life-like environments and cutting-edge technology to help speed your progress in the areas that matter to you.

Most patients complete our rehab program in 12 days or less. From there, we’ll work with your primary care doctor to make a plan for continuing care. This might include home visits, follow-up appointments, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and additional outpatient rehabilitation.