Navigating Discharge from Inpatient Rehab: How Home Health Agencies Support Your Transition

Inpatient physical rehab is the most intensive level of care you can receive when recovering from an injury or invasive surgery, or learning to adapt to a new impairment or limitation. At an inpatient rehab facility, medical professionals create a personalized care plan to be followed for the duration of your stay that can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Following an inpatient rehab stay, a home care agency can be a key part in maintaining your health and independence.

What Is Inpatient Rehab and Who Is It For?

Inpatient rehab may be appropriate for anyone recovering from an injury, invasive surgery, or a health event such as a stroke or heart attack. Adapting to a degenerative disease, such as arthritis or osteoporosis may warrant an inpatient rehab stay as well! Once you become a patient at an inpatient rehab facility, medical professionals will assemble a care plan for you to address your needs. Your care plan may include sessions with a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech therapist. In addition to therapy, nurses and aides provide patient care. Meals tailored to your needs are prepared by culinary professionals at inpatient rehab and and an activity director provides a calendar full of fun games, events, and activities to help you pass the time.

Most health insurance companies recognize the importance of inpatient rehabilitation for recovery and, therefore, will typically cover the costs associated with a medically necessary inpatient rehab stay. However, the extent of coverage can vary based on the specific insurance plan, the patient's condition, and the duration of the required rehabilitation services. It is essential for patients and their families to understand the specifics of their insurance policy, including any pre-authorization requirements, co-pays, deductibles, and limits on the number of days covered in rehab.

In addition, the certification of medical necessity not only helps ensure that patients receive the appropriate level of care but also plays a crucial role in the financial aspect of treatment. By providing documentation that supports the need for inpatient rehabilitation, healthcare providers can assist patients in navigating the complexities of insurance claims and appeals, should any issues arise regarding coverage.

Discharging from Inpatient Rehab

Discharging from inpatient rehab is what happens at the end of your stay. Your stay at rehab can come to an end because you have sufficiently recovered and heal, because you are no longer making progress in your healing, or because of insurance coverage ending. Regardless of the reason for your discharge, you will meet with the case manager assigned to you to discusses next steps. At that time they will assess your needs following your discharge.

Home Health's Role in Your Recovery

A home health agency can be of great help when you or a loved one are discharging from inpatient physical therapy. Depending on your needs, a variety of services provided by home health can make the transition home much easier. From light housework and lift assists to help reduce the risk of falls, to assistance grocery shopping and meal prepping to adhere to a new heart-smart diet, home health agencies can tailor your care plan to meet your needs. If your physical therapist sent you home with exercises to do we can also help you to stay consistent and on schedule.

If you are interested in home care as a part of you or a loved one's discharge plan from inpatient rehab, Total is here to help! Call us at 219-937-2811 to schedule a free in-home assessment!