Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation

Senior patient talking to physical therapist

Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation

The Department of Rehabilitation Medicine has an acute inpatient rehabilitation unit at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. The William Randolph Hearst Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit provides multimodal therapy, including physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapy. Our expert teams are skilled in helping patients with a range of conditions including:

  • Amputation rehabilitation
  • Brain Injury rehabilitation
  • Burn injuries
  • Cancer
  • Cardiac rehabilitation/Ventricular assist device rehabilitation
  • Multiple major trauma injuries
  • Neurological disorders
  • Orthopedic surgery rehabilitation
  • Polyarthritis
  • Speech and swallowing therapy
  • Spinal cord injury rehabilitation
  • Stroke recovery
  • Transplant rehabilitation

Our inpatient rehabilitation unit is CARF and Joint Commission accredited and has a specialty stroke recovery unit. All services are tailored to meet each patient’s needs. Our patients have a unique opportunity to have their acute care physician remain a part of their medical team and also have access to on-site physicians in a wide range of specialties. 

We provide 24-hour nursing care to address our patients’ medical, physical, and comfort needs. Social work services and therapeutic recreation support the social, leisure, and spiritual needs of our patients and their families.

We take a multi-disciplinary approach to rehabilitation treatment, which includes the following:

  • Assessing the patient and environment with a focus on ability and support
  • Addressing potential barriers in the home environment
  • Addressing potential obstacles to discharge
  • Teaching movement and compensatory skills
  • Setting goals based on desired outcomes
  • Educating family and loved ones
  • Creating a discharge plan
  • Providing follow-up services to coordinate and monitor a successful outcome

The rehabilitation team comprises caring, dedicated professionals striving to help the patient achieve their goals of return to their daily lives. Outpatient services are also available after discharge.