 “Change” is the word across the nation, this includes Health Care Reform. Who is going to bring this great change? What is going to happen? How are we going to be involved? What to do? The Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at ECU is planning for the future. There is a proactive plan to address the question of health care reform. One must be ready for change, but there is also opportunity if one is willing to be prepared. We have high goals for the residents to better understand the system of care and to integrate this into their daily practice before they graduate. The faculty are ready to adapt to changes as they occur, to optimize the patient care we deliver. System based care is important. Recently, we completed horizontal integration with the Pitt County Memorial and Heritage hospital inpatient rehabilitation units. We are now more closely aligned to ensure that patients are placed near their home and support services. There is vertical integration, via our access to inpatient rehab, long term acute care, skilled nursing, day treatment and outpatient rehab facilities. As resources are further limited, the ability to care for patients at various levels of care is paramount. Our goal is to transition the patient to the “appropriate level of care at the appropriate time”. There has been a greater emphasis on Evidence based medicine, including Rehabilitation care. Although health care providers feel that a treatment option is beneficial, proof is being required by insurers, and patients. The Regional Rehab Center has dedicated a full time provider and the PMR department has allocated new resources for the development of evidence based research. Quality, or pay for performance, will take a larger portion of physician time. Pay for quantity of care will no longer be the only variable. We are going to have to learn to reduce hospital acquired infections, decubitus ulcers and returns to acute care after discharge home. Providing care for a patient over a limited time segment is not adequate, the continuum of care must become a larger focus in our daily clinical plan. A diagnosis is not enough. Please join us to help improve the ‘function’ or ability of our patients to ‘do’ what they want. Daniel P. Moore, MD, Professor & Department Chairman Board Certified, American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation |
