Center Achieves CARF Accreditation July 18, 2003 Catawba Valley Medical Center’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Center Achieves CARF Accreditation The Inpatient Rehabilitation Center at Catawba Valley Medical Center has been informed by CARF, the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission, that it has been accredited for a period of three years for its Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation program. This action marks the second consecutive Three-Year Accreditation outcomes awarded CVMC’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit by CARF, an international accrediting body. “This accreditation outcome, which represents the highest level of accreditation, is awarded to organizations that show substantial fulfillment of the standards established by CARF,” said Garrett Snyder, CVMC’s administrator of Rehabilitation Services. “To receive a Three-Year Accreditation outcome, our facility successfully underwent a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated that our program and services are of the high quality, measurable and accountable. In addition, the CVMC Inpatient Rehab Unit’s accreditation for three years clearly indicates that present conditions represent an established pattern of total operations that is likely to be maintained or improved in the foreseeable future.” “Our program received exemplary remarks by CARF surveyors,” said Suzanne F. Chester, CVMC’s nursing director of Rehabiliation/Neuro/Ortho. “The interdisciplinary team was noted as demonstrating ongoing communication regarding the progress of the persons served and for their creative approaches to patient care for addressing optimal achievements. CVMC was also commended and congratulated on its Magnet Hospital designation in May 2001 and its exemplary resource commitment to the rehab program.” Surveyors also noted that “the rehabilitation management team is a highly passionate and dedicated group of individuals….[who] lead with conviction, purpose and sense of humor.” CARF is an independent, not-for-profit accrediting body promoting quality, value and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Since 1966, CARF has established consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. The Inpatient Rehabilitation Center is a 20-bed physical rehabilitation unit that provides care to assist with improving the quality of life for people with all levels of disability by helping them to be as functional and independent as possible. This population primarily consists of the following diagnoses: Stroke, Hip Fracture, Total Joint Replacement, General Debilitation, Neurological Disorder, Spinal Cord Injury, Cardio-Pulmonary Deconditioning, Amputation, Acquired Brain Injury, Arthritic and Other Connective Tissue Disorders and Multiple Trauma. The services provided by the interdisciplinary team include Physician Services, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Therapeutic Recreation, Rehabilitation Nursing, and Medical Social Work. CVMC has been providing Inpatient Rehabilitation Services for the Catawba Valley area since 1995. The Inpatient Rehabilitation Center is part of the continuum of care of rehab services provided by the medical center. The Outpatient Rehabilitation Center offers a full range of services including Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, Fitness Center, Pediatrics and Sports Medicine. For additional information, contact Mr. Synder at 828-326-2137. Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventative medicine and acute care. It was recently designated as the thirty-second Magnet facility in the nation and the second in the Carolinas.