Rehabilitation Services

Columbia St. Mary's provides coordinated and comprehensive rehabilitation services to persons with a variety of disabling conditions in both an inpatient and outpatient setting.

Columbia St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Service is designed for those people who have problems with muscles, joints or bones following injury, surgery or disease. Rehabilitation services are available on either an outpatient or inpatient basis, depending upon the needs of the patient. Family members and caregivers are encouraged to participate in the plan of care, recognizing that they play an important part in the healing process of their loved ones.

The Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Program serves surgical and non-surgical patients with a variety of injuries and conditions, such as arthritis, diseases of the spine, multiple trauma, amputation, joint replacement surgery, sports injuries, and other orthopaedic conditions.

Outpatient Services
Outpatient Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Services are designed for those patients requiring a less aggressive rehabilitation program, or for those continuing with therapy after discharge from the hospital. As an outpatient, you will undergo an initial assessment of your condition and a treatment or therapy plan will be developed to address your personal situation. Generally guided by a physical or occupational therapist, these sessions will help you achieve the greatest level of mobility, strength, and independence with the goal of returning you to your normal daily activities. For some, it may mean returning to work, climbing the stairs, or playing your favorite sport. Based on your abilities and needs, individualized goals are established to mark progress in your treatment plan. Each step, whether great or small, is considered a success in reaching your full potential. Multiple sites are conveniently located throughout southeastern Wisconsin to accommodate your rehabilitation program and schedule.

Inpatient Services
When a brief hospital stay is necessary following an orthopaedic injury or surgery, Columbia St. Mary’s facilities provide acute rehabilitation services to improve mobility, increase independence, and safely return you home. A team of health care professionals, including physical and occupational therapists, working closely with your physician, will develop a treatment plan designed to restore or improve your normal level of function in work and daily activities while you are in the hospital.

For those patients requiring a longer, more intense therapy regimen, specialized inpatient Rehabilitation Units are available. These Rehabilitation Units are staffed with nurses and therapists experienced in all orthopaedic conditions. A customized rehabilitation program is developed to address the specific condition of each patient. The ultimate goal of the rehabilitation program is to help patients increase their strength and mobility and improve their quality of life through increased independence with emphasis in the following areas:

• Safety
• Sitting and standing balance
• Walking in a number of environments such as stairs and curbs
• Muscular strength
• Improving hand and fine motor skills
• Self-care and home management skills
• Flexibility
• Coordination
• Adaptive devices
• Return to work skills

Rehabilitation Team

The rehabilitation staff works together as a team with the patient and their family. After a determination that an extended rehabilitation stay is necessary, an initial patient evaluation is done. The patient and family, along with the rehabilitation team, decide on treatment plans and goals. During a patient’s stay, team members meet with patients and their families to discuss treatment, progress, and preparation for discharge. A full range of therapy services, medical evaluations and treatments are provided by a team of specialists. The rehabilitation team includes a patient’s personal physician and a(n):

• Physiatrist - a physician who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation
• Rehabilitation Nurse
• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapist

When necessary, other health care professionals, such as a recreational therapist, speech and language pathologist, dietitian, or case manager become part of the rehabilitation team. In addition, psychologists, pastoral care, vocational rehabilitation counselors, audiologist, prosthetists (designers of artificial limbs) and orthotists (designers of devices that support weak muscles or joints) are available.

Community Outreach
Columbia St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Program is committed to prevention and wellness. Keeping the people of our community safe and healthy is our primary goal. Our rehabilitation staff works with schools, businesses, and other community groups to provide education, injury and illness prevention, evaluation, and rehabilitation.

Educational classes are offered to the community to provide information on the latest in medications, procedures, and treatment techniques. Pre-surgical classes are also offered to patients prior to joint replacement surgery to ensure the best possible results. Research shows that patients have better outcomes and recover more quickly when people know what to expect and are more involved in their health care.