What is Regional Rehabilitation?

Regional rehabilitation is rehabilitation offered at a regional rehabilitation center, a primary rehabilitation facility in a given region. The geographic distribution of rehabilitation centers and hospitals is designed to ensure that as much of the population as possible is covered, making it easier for people to access the care they need. People can also receive rehabilitation at other types of rehabilitation facilities, as might be needed when someone needs rehabilitation services which are not available at a regional rehabilitation center.

Regional rehabilitation facilities usually try to offer a broad spectrum of services so that people in the region can access an assortment of programs. These can include inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation for stroke recovery, accident recovery, and so forth, along with rehabilitation for drug abuse, alcoholism, and psychiatric illnesses. Rehabilitation centers can include eating disorder clinics, balance clinics, and other types of clinics which provide therapy for specific issues.

In nations where health care is not funded primarily by the government, the government may offer funding to regional rehabilitation centers as long as they meet specific standards. Governments want to make sure that citizens have access to medical facilities, and one method of ensuring this is to promote the establishment of hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and clinics in areas where people need these services. To qualify for government funding, a regional rehabilitation center must also usually agree to accept low-income patients and patients covered by welfare programs which are intended to provide care to the most vulnerable members of the population. Private and specialty centers may not be eligible for government assistance due to the limitations of their programs.

The quality of care at a regional rehabilitation center can vary. Some are very good, and may in fact accept patients from outside the region for specialty programs. People who need to go to a rehabilitation center or who are preparing to send a loved one to such a center may want to do some research to find out about their available options and to get quality ratings to see what kind of care will be accessible. Doctors may also have recommendations for specific facilities.

Many regional rehabilitation centers allow people to tour the facility before making a final decision about whether or not they want to use the facility's services. The tour includes a chance to meet staff, see what conditions are like, and look into treatment rooms. This opportunity should not be passed up if it is offered.