The Rehabilitation Hospital of Northern Arizona (RHNA) is an Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation (IAR) hospital in Flagstaff, Arizona that has been providing care since 2018. IAR is a unique level of care for patients discharging from an Acute Care Hospital like Kingman Regional Medical Center (KRMC).
Unlike Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF), IARs provide three hours of therapy (combination of Physical, Occupational and Speech) at a minimum of five days per week (15 hours/week required min per CMS Guidelines). This care includes the medical oversight of a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician.
By contrast, SNFs have no minimum therapy requirement, and medical oversight is only once per week. Many SNFs put “rehab” in their name, but the level of care they provide is not comparable to an IAR.
RHNA also has Registered Nurses (RNs) on site 24/7. Many Skilled Nursing Facilities utilize a lower number of licensed nursing staff like Licensed Practical Nurses and often don’t have an RN on site. Their nursing rations are less than half of what typical nursing ratios are at SNFs.
Studies have shown that IARs improve a patient’s quality of life, which includes living longer, reduced use of facility-based care, and the ability for patients to remain in their homes.
A study by ARA Research Institute found that, compared to SNFs, patients treated at IARs returned home from their stay two weeks earlier, remained home two months longer, and stayed alive nearly two months longer. These patients also experienced an 8% lower mortality rate and 5% fewer emergency room visits per year.
Another feature of RHNA is its accreditation by the Joint Commission with two Disease Specific Certifications: Brain Injury and Stroke. These programs are reviewed biannually by the Joint Commission to ensure quality standards are met.
Their customers are adults (over the age of 18) who have experienced a major health issue. CMS guidelines state that 60% of their patients need to come from diagnosis like hip fractures, strokes, brain injuries, major multiple traumas. 405 of their patients are everything else, such as joint replacements, spinal surgeries, COPD and CHF exacerbations as well as generalized weakness and disability.
RHNA provides quality medical care, but they also have a reputation for improving the experience of a patient’s stay overall. For example, they allow for one family member or friend to stay with the patient overnight. A cot can be placed in the patient’s room for this purpose, and meals are provided as well.
The hospital also has a Transitional Outcomes Program (TOP), which addresses the risk of readmission. Patients can be referred to TOP each member of the interdisciplinary team, such as a respiratory specialist, physical therapist, pharmacist, dietician, nurse, or case manager. The TOP ensures that a patient that is at risk of readmission for any reason is given a plan to mitigate those risks after leaving the hospital.
They have a team of Clinical Liaisons—clinicians with a license to evaluate patients who have a specialized training on what qualifies a person to be admitted to their hospital. These clinicians make calls via phone or in person at the hospital bedside of potential patients to educate them and their family members about the care they will receive in their hospital.
Liaisons are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to answer any questions about their hospital. RHNA is open 365 days a year and accept patients 7 days a week. Visiting hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.
