Rehabilitation Institute

North Mississippi Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Institute is a 28-bed unit on the west wing of NMMC-Tupelo’s first floor. Our team of professionals helps patients reach their individual goals. Rehabilitation helps you regain function, mobility, independence and ultimately quality of life.

Admission Criteria

The patient must be:

Medically stable
At least 18 years old
Diagnosed with a clearly defined rehabilitation problem that requires intensive coordinated rehabilitation services on an inpatient basis
Able to participate in at least three hours of therapy daily with the potential to attain a rehabilitation goal within a reasonable time frame
Be motivated to participate in therapy

Families are also an integral part of therapy. We will establish a discharge plan for follow-up care before admission. Our medical director and admissions team evaluate each patient before admission. This process determines whether you are ready for the program medically and whether your needs will be best served by this program.

Rehabilitation Diagnoses & Functional Problems

Selection of patients for rehabilitation is along functional, rather than disease specific guidelines. Functional problems may include:

Impaired mobility Impaired ability to perform self-care activities
Impaired communication skills
Impaired safety in performing functional activities
Impaired perceptual and cognitive skills

Rehabilitation can be beneficial for:

Parkinson's disease
Spinal cord injury
Polyneuropathy
Congenital deformity
Orthopedic conditions
Amputation
Major multiple trauma
Fracture of the femur
Brain injury
Polyarthritis
General deconditioning
Stroke
Multiple sclerosis
Motor neuron disease

Accreditation & Licensure

CARF International (inpatient adult rehab and stroke)
Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program (adult)
Mississippi State Department of Health

Resources

Rehabilitation Institute Patient Guide

Team Effort

When a patient is admitted to the Rehabilitation Institute, our team conducts an evaluation to determine degree of functional disability. In agreement with the patient and family, the team establishes a treatment plan with one goal in mind—that you achieve the highest level of functioning possible so that you may resume a more active and productive lifestyle. Team members work intensively with the patient every day and meet weekly to review your progress.

Professionals on our team:

Physiatrist
Physical Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Speech Pathologist
Clinical Psychologist
Social Worker
Rehabilitation Nurse
Rehabilitation Case Manager
Nurse Practitioner

Our team also relies upon other professionals to provide support services if needed. These professionals include:

Dietitian
Chaplains
Orthotist
Prosthetist
Pharmacists
Respiratory Therapists

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours at the Rehabilitation Institute are 5-8 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 3-8 p.m. weekends and holidays.

Driving Assessment & Training

Head injury, stroke and amputee patients may need help determining whether they are able to return to driving. Physicians can refer you for Driving Assessment and Training. Before driving, an inpatient screening measures visual perception, reaction time, muscle strength and cognitive abilities. A minimum one-hour drive is modified to meet your specific needs, usually following familiar paths, in the "rehab car" equipped with adaptive equipment. The therapist makes a recommendation to your physician and helps you secure adaptive equipment for your own vehicle.

Therapeutic Leave Program

The Therapeutic Leave Program allows you to leave the hospital on a day pass. Therapeutic leave enables you to feel comfortable in your own surroundings and helps you adapt to changes in your home environment. Therapeutic leave also allows caregivers the opportunity to identify other potential problems, learning needs and coping skills needed before discharge.

Educational Resources

Links to educational resources are available in your information packet and are posted in your room. Ask the rehabilitation staff for more information on topics of interest.

Community Orientation

Occupational therapists plan activities to help enable you to successfully re-enter your natural environment. Activities include excursions to grocery stores, shopping centers, restaurants, movies and sporting events.

Going Home

Our team helps you transition to outpatient or homebound therapy. Team members often visit the patient's home and workplace to evaluate accessibility in those buildings. Then the team can recommend modifications, such as needed equipment, installing ramps or widening doorways. As you prepare for discharge, our team provides specific home care instructions, as well as referrals and follow-up consultations.