If you are having major surgery or some other medical treatment such as what you get at a cancer care center, you may need to go someplace between that event and your home. Many people find themselves needing to go to a physical rehabilitation center for help getting better and getting back to your life. If you find yourself in this position, you may not know how to go about finding the right physical rehabilitation for your needs. There are some things you should ask about and places you can go to find the right one for you and your situation.
- Talk to your doctors. If you are having a hip replacement and need to go to a physical rehabilitation, you should have a chat with your orthopedic surgeon. They know you and your needs and the chances are good they can help you find a few facilities that may work for your needs. If you are having serious cancer radiation treatment, you should ask your oncologist. You can even call your family physician and see what their thoughts are. These people are all great resources when you are in that situation
- Talk to your friends and family. Hands down, the best way to find a decent product or service is to get a recommendation from someone you know and trust. In a best case scenario, you will get the same recommendation from more than one person independently of each other. You may not know that some person in your family or a friend has been to a physical rehabilitation center until you ask so talk to the people whom you trust. You may be surprised by what kind of response you get.
- Talk to your insurance company. This is important to finding a physical rehabilitation center that takes your health insurance policy, But that is not the only reason to call your health insurance carrier. They may be able to help you narrow down your choices and get the right one. At the very least, they can give you a list of places that accept your plan.
When you call the centers make sure you ask the right questions. Here are a few:
- Ask what programs they offer. The reason you are going to one of these facilities will change what programs you will need and what level of support will be appropriate. You will need something different if you are in the physical rehabilitation center after a gastrectomy than if you have had knee replacement surgery so you need to know the center has the services and support that will help you the most.
- Ask about the staff. You should ask how much they work, how they are found, what training they get and what the turnover rate is. Ideally, you will find a center where the people are not overworked, not underpaid and like to work there. Tired, overworked and underpaid workers are not happy people and will not be as able to help you recover.
- Ask what the policy is for treatment plans. You will most likely need more treatment after you leave the center. Ask them how the plan for your recovery after you leave the center will be drawn up. Most people who have to spend any amount of time in these facilities do find they need more assistance once they are through with the rehabilitation facility.
- Ask about the policy on involving friends and family. Having your support network take an active role in your recovery can be very helpful to the success of that recovery. You want to know that they welcome the participation of your friends, family members and/or any caregiver you have. Just make sure you are clear on the policy before you commit to any location.
Going to a physical rehabilitation center can make a big difference in your experience with the medical procedure or treatment that you receive. Often, the time you spend on your recovery has a big impact on how well your recover from that surgery or treatment. Therefore, finding the right place for your rehabilitation is as important as finding the right doctor. These tips will help you find the right one for your needs and your recovery.