BSCIP: Tips for Selecting The Appropriate Facility

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Tips on selecting the appropriate facility

• Always try to obtain the names of at least three facilities to evaluate.
• Ask if each facility is designated the by the Florida Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program and a national accrediting body, such as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) or Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
• The location of a facility should be just one of many factors that families consider. If a nearby facility is not a designated center for SCI, it may be better to travel some distance to enter a quality program with the appropriate staff and services.
• The facility should use a team approach to planning and treatment. It is important for the program's treatment team members to have expertise in spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
• Check for the existence of a spinal cord injury survivor's support group affiliated with the program. Ask the group members and their families whether or not they were satisfied with the program. Did it meet their expectations? What were they told prior to admission? What did they find good about the program? What would they want to see changed?
• Tour the facilities you are considering. Look for a clean environment with adequate space for the treatment team to provide therapies. Staff should be professional in appearance and behavior. Talk with staff about their experience with spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
• Be sure there are regularly scheduled staffings or team meetings that include all members of the team. Find out if the survivor and/or family are included in these meetings. If not, how are they kept informed?