Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation
Our Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit is an essential component of the continuum of care provided by the University Of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System. The Inpatient Rehabilitation Center of Excellence combines the best in rehabilitation, the best in nursing care, and the best in medical management for patients with a wide range of needs related to neurologic, orthopedic, and complex medical diagnoses. Our rehabilitation team is committed to continuous improvement of our rehabilitation outcomes through the use of evidence based practices, staff development, and program evaluation. We provide complete rehab to our patients to prepare them to return to their home and community settings.
Our Values
• Teamwork. We work as a team. We enjoy teamwork and believe it is the best way to help our patients.
• Respect. We respect our patients and our fellow workers. We know that each patient is different and deserves our respect.
• Optimism. We are optimistic that rehabilitation can help our patients achieve their goals and maximize their independence.
• Best Practices. In rehabilitation, nursing, and medical management we follow best practices as delineated by national guidelines and the use of scientific evidence.
• Individualized care. The small size of our Rehabilitation Unit means that each patient receives individualized care and a rehabilitation program that is carefully matched to their special needs.
• Patient Safety. We put the safety of our patients first. Each patient is carefully evaluated for risk of medical complications or other adverse events and a plan is executed to ensure patient safety.
Our Services
Patients Served
Most of our patients have neurological diagnoses such as stroke, cerebral aneurysm, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, head injury, spinal cord disease, peripheral neuropathy; or orthopedic diagnoses such as hip replacement, knee replacement, hip fracture, or amputation. We also rehabilitate medical patients who have lost essential functional skills due to long hospitalizations for heart disease, organ transplant, or cancer therapy.
We evaluate appropriateness for admission according to CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid) criteria that include diagnosis, ability to participate in 3 hours of skilled therapy daily, medical stability, and likelihood that the patient will benefit from rehabilitation. Our Admissions Committee responds promptly with an admissions decision upon receiving a referral.
Our Rehabilitation Process
Each inpatient receives a minimum of 3 hours daily of individualized therapy divided between the morning and afternoon sessions. The mix of physical, occupational, and speech therapy depends on the individual needs of the patient. Patients may also participate in music therapy, spiritual programs, or other group activities depending on their interest and functional capabilities. Each patient is supported by both a social worker and a discharge planner. Our nurses have specialty training in rehabilitation and reinforce the skills that are being learned in therapy in all aspects of nursing care along with a focus on patient education and management of bowel and bladder management. Health psychology sees patients when emotional issues arise. All patients are staffed weekly at the Rehabilitation Team Conference where goals, progress, and discharge plans are discussed. Family Conferences are scheduled when discharge issues arise that require consultation with family members and patients.
Discharge Planning
Discharge planning is coordinated by the entire rehabilitation team. Our full-time discharge planner and full-time social worker lead discharge planning that involves families, patients, therapists, physicians, and nurses in making the best possible discharge dispositions. Our goal is to return as many patients to their homes and communities as possible. After discharge, most patients continue their therapies. Depending on patient need and geographic location, this continuing therapy may provided at the outpatient center of the University of Illinois, provided at the rehabilitation clinic of another hospital, provided by a home health agency, or delivered at a sub-acute rehabilitation facility. Our team ensures that each discharged patient leaves with a workable continuing rehabilitation plan.
Our Accreditation
We are accredited. The University of Illinois Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations and the Commission of Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
Our Team
Our Leadership
• Keir Ringquist, PT, MS, GCS is our Rehabilitation Program Manager and the Director of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. She is a Clinical Instructor of Physical Therapy within the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. She has overall responsibility for the rehabilitation program at the University Of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System including inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. She serves as a accreditation surveyor for CARF, the organization that accredits various types of rehabilitation facilities.
• Sriranjini Muthukrishnan, MD is medical director for the rehabilitation unit. She holds the rank of Assistant Professor of Neurology and Rehabilitation in the College of Medicine. Dr. Muthukrishnan is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
• Edlyn Laviste, RN is manager for the 5 East Rehabilitation Unit. She has responsibility for daily operations of the inpatient rehabilitation unit.
Our Nurses
Our nurses are committed to excellent nursing care that is imbued with the rehabilitation philosophy. All of our rehabilitation nurses receive specialized training in rehabilitation and are employed solely on the rehabilitation floor. They are key members of our rehabilitation team and contribute to the environment in which patients fulfill their rehabilitation potential. Our nurses are supported by nurse technicians on each shift.
Our Therapists
Our inpatient rehabilitation unit is supported by a staff of 9 physical therapists, 1 physical therapist assistant, 6 occupational therapists, and a speech pathologist. All of the therapists at UI Hospital have patient care responsibilities in acute care and rehabilitation which provides valuable insight into the experience of patients admitted to our unit. The therapists at UI Hospital have a demonstrated commitment to excellence in patient care through the pursuit of advanced training in neurorehabilitation, geriatrics, human occupation, and community reintegration.
Our Physicians
All patients on the inpatient rehabilitation unit are under the direct care of one of two full-time physicians who are fully devoted to the inpatient rehabilitation unit. Both of our rehabilitation physicians have extensive experience with medical, orthopedic, and neurological rehabilitation.
Dr. Sriranjini Muthukrishnan is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, completed her Physiatry residency at the University of Illinois, and holds an appointment as Assistant Professor of Neurology and Rehabilitation. She serves as Medical Director for the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit and has special expertise in orthopedic and medical rehabilitation.
Dr. Renu Mahajan is also board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She completed her residency training at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital.
*Our physicians are backed up by the faculty physicians of the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine and the Housestaff of the University of Illinois Hospital. Specialty and sub-specialty care is available onsite to our rehabilitation unit from all medical and subspecialty areas on a 24/7 basis including internal medicine, neurosurgery, neurology, cardiology, gastroenterology, anesthesia, infectious diseases, surgery, orthopedics, ophthalmology, and otolaryngology.