ORLANDO, Fla. (August 13, 2009) --- The Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute recently received a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for each of its 13 programs, including specialty inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient rehabilitation programs for children, adolescents and adults. The Rehabilitation Institute provides care for various conditions including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and stroke.
CARF is an independent, not-for-profit organization that promotes quality rehabilitation services. CARF-accredited programs and services have demonstrated that they substantially meet internationally recognized standards and made a commitment to continually enhance the quality of its services and programs, and its focus is on consumer satisfaction.
“On a daily basis helping patients on their road to recovery brings its own rewards for our team,” said Jack Fitzpatrick, administrator of Ancillary and Rehabilitative Services. “To receive peer recognition from CARF is a tribute to and a reflection of the excellent care, support and commitment our multidisciplinary team provides to patients, their families and to each other.”
The CARF survey team recognized the Rehabilitation Institute for several strengths in patient care including relevant and well researched education materials for patients and families; dedicated private space for patients and family to access resources; creative approaches to build relationships with volunteers who share their talents and skills; and identifying needs for patients and finding solutions with limited funding, including the use of a gift registry and donations from team members.
The Rehabilitation Institute was also cited for the demonstration of its mission and values throughout operations; strong executive and physician leadership for rehabilitation services; the clinician and administrative team members’ longstanding history with the organization; its physician collaboration in development of the adolescent sports medicine program; and the organization’s position at the forefront of computerized records and accessibility for staff.
The Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute is the only state designated Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program (BSCIP) facility in Orlando. BSCIP designated facilities are required to maintain the highest level of expertise and experience to address the medical, rehabilitation, and physiological needs of individuals who sustain traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. BSCIP Accreditation requirements include the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.
Orlando Health is Central Florida’s fifth largest employer with nearly 14,000 employees and more than 2,000 affiliated physicians, all of whom support our philosophy of providing high quality care and service when it matters most. We prove this everyday with over 100,000 inpatient admissions and more than 600,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $198 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.