Mrs. Lauren Ann Nemmers OTD, OTR/L

In general, a distinct unit of a general acute care hospital that provides care encompassing a comprehensive array of restoration services for the disabled and all support services necessary to help patients attain their maximum functional capacity. Source: AHA Annual Survey p. A10 1996 AHA Guide. For Medicare, a distinct part of a general acute care hospital providing inpatient rehabilitation services that meets the following requirements. Rehabilitation Units have in effect a preadmission screening procedure under which each prospective patient's condition and medical history are reviewed to determine whether the patient is likely to benefit significantly from an intensive inpatient program or assessment; ensure that the patients receive close medical supervision and furnish, through the use of qualified personnel, rehabilitation nursing, physical therapy and occupational therapy, plus, as needed, speech therapy, social services or psychological services and orthotic and prosthetic services; have a plan of treatment for each inpatient that is established, reviewed, and revised as needed by a physician in consultation with other professional personnel who provide services to the patient; use a coordinated multidisciplinary team approach in the rehabilitation of each inpatient, as documented by periodic clinical entries made in the patient's medical record to note the patient's status in relationship to goal attainment, and that team conferences are held at least every two weeks to determine the appropriateness of treatment; have a director of rehabilitation who provides services to the unit and its inpatients for at least 20 hours a week, is a doctor of medicine or osteopathy, is licensed under State law to practice medicine or surgery, and has had, after completing a one-year hospital internship at least two years of training or experience in the medical management of inpatients requiring rehabilitation services.

An occupational therapist is a person who has graduated from an entry-level occupational therapy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or predecessor organizations, or approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), or an equivalent international occupational therapy education program; has successfully completed a period of supervised fieldwork experience required by the occupational therapy program; has passed a nationally recognized entry-level examination for occupational therapists, and fulfills state requirements for licensure, certification, or registration. An occupational therapist provides interventions based on evaluation and which emphasize the therapeutic use of everyday life activities (i.e., occupations) with individuals or groups for the purpose of facilitating participation in roles and situations and in home, school, workplace, community and other settings. Occupational therapy services are provided for the purpose of promoting health and wellness and are provided to those who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction. Occupational therapists address the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of occupational performance in a variety of contexts to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, well-being, and quality of life.

Source: NUCC, CMS