Leading the Region in CARF-Accredited Care
Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation strives to be a leader in care and clinical service delivery, so area providers feel confident in choosing our facilities for their patients.
As part of our efforts to meet the highest national standards for quality, Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation became the first facility in the five-state area of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to achieve accreditation from CARF International in comprehensive integrated inpatient rehabilitation and four specialty areas:
- Amputation
- Brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Stroke
Additionally, we received CARF accreditation for our outpatient spinal cord injury program. This provides increased support for patients transitioning from acute care to living in the community.
“CARF accreditation helps signify the quality of our care,” said Rob Grange, vice president and Post-Acute Care Services administrator, Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation White Oak. “It ensures we uphold the highest level of excellence and reassures patients that they will receive the best care, even if they don’t know how to ask for it.”
The CARF Accreditation Process
CARF International – founded as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) in 1966 – is an independent nonprofit that offers accreditation for rehab facilities that excel in their fields and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing improvement.
To apply for CARF accreditation, an organization must complete a months-long self-survey, which identifies strengths and areas for potential improvement. Next, an outside survey team performs a thorough review of the program, performs a site visit and conducts interviews. The process generally takes more than a year to complete. If granted CARF accreditation, an organization must follow a plan for continued excellence and improvement in the quality of services. The accreditation must be reevaluated and renewed every three years.
The accreditation survey team looks at numerous factors that affect day-to-day operations and long-term patient outcomes. Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation’s most recent CARF-accreditation survey noted exemplary performance in nearly three dozen areas, including:
- Community outreach
- Creating a welcoming environment
- Discharge planning and family involvement
- Infection control
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Meeting the needs of diverse patient populations
- Opportunities for continuing education for staff
“I believe so strongly in CARF accreditation, I became a surveyor,” said Terrence Sheehan, MD, chief medical officer for Post-Acute Care and Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation. “For the past 20 years, I have surveyed rehabilitation facilities nationally and internationally. CARF accreditation is the gold standard for rehabilitation facilities. It encourages and pushes facilities to achieve the next level of excellence.”
Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Care
In each program, Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation takes a holistic approach to patient health and well-being. Our rehabilitation programs address patients’ physical and behavioral health needs with services tailored to them, including psychosocial support, recreational and vocational services, and access to specialized equipment, and orthotics and prosthetics.
“Someone with a spinal cord injury needs a very specific individualized program,” Dr. Sheehan said. “The same is true with patients who have had a stroke, a traumatic brain injury or limb loss. What is needed is a care team that understands the individualized diagnostic categories and what it takes to recover and get back to life. CARF accreditation ensures all programs are specifically designed to meet those goals and that the care team comes together to fulfill those outcomes.”
Each specialty certification demonstrates a commitment to outstanding services, patient-centered care, professional development and leadership in an environment that values the voices of patients and staff alike.
“Our patient advisory council provides us feedback and recommendations on current processes,” said Erin Baumgardner, associate vice president, Patient Care Services, Post-Acute Care/Administrator, Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation Rockville. “They also offer suggestions and feedback on new ideas. These interdisciplinary teams meet monthly and look at ways to continuously improve our programs. We are very lucky to have engaged and knowledgeable team members.”
Care Focused on the Ongoing Needs of the Community
CARF accreditation means more than meeting the care needs of patients in rehabilitation facilities. It also demonstrates we are taking a leadership role in community services and accessibility.
“Before gaining CARF accreditation, we were focused on accessibility as it related to our grounds and hospital,” Rob said. “Now we also look beyond our walls.”
For example, construction near one of our rehab clinics made the bus stop less accessible. Rob engaged county leaders, who conducted an accessibility review to improve navigation around the construction site. Similarly, the spinal cord team is working with other community healthcare providers to address accessibility challenges.
“Many patients who use power wheelchairs see primary care providers in the community whose offices do not have lifts, curb cuts or other accessible ways to get into the clinic,” Rob said. “Our team is working on accessibility reviews for other sites and providing education to area providers and community organizations on these topics.”
Combining a Team Approach With a Focus on Individuals
With CARF accreditation, Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation has proven that we provide patients with excellent care so they can heal and return to their daily lives.
“If they do not come here, they may be referred to a skilled nursing facility where they get fewer rehab services or sent home where their condition may deteriorate,” Rob said. “This can lead to a hospital readmission. We are serving a record number of people this year, and we continue to improve access for them.”
The measure of success goes far beyond numbers and outcome data. Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation’s commitment to quality care ensures individual voices are heard, too. Rob is dedicated to keeping his team engaged in the ongoing CARF accreditation process and promoting a supportive culture for both staff and patients.
“I spend a good bit of time listening to our customers,” Rob said. “I celebrate the times they are having an amazing experience and learn from the times they did not. We are always working to improve, and patients, staff and the community can see that.”
