Roper Rehabilitation Hospital Receives CARF Accreditations

Charleston, SC – Roper Rehabilitation Hospital has received national accreditations from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for its Adult Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital Program and its Stroke Specialty Program. According to the hospital’s Medical Director, James Warmoth, M.D., these accreditations indicate to the Charleston community that the hospital’s programs meet internationally recognized standards of care.

“These accreditations mean our patients and their families can be confident of our commitment to continually enhance the quality of our services and programs, and our focus on patient satisfaction,” said Dr. Warmoth. “We are currently the only hospital in the Lowcountry and one of only five in South Carolina to be awarded the Adult Inpatient Rehabilitation accreditation, and one of only two in the state to be awarded the Stroke Specialty accreditation.”

Roper Rehabilitation Hospital, located on the Roper Hospital campus in downtown Charleston, is part of Roper St. Francis Healthcare. The hospital currently houses 39 inpatient beds with 112 employees. Of its eligible nurses, eighteen or 86%, have received specialty certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN). Nurses must have worked in rehab for two years in order to be eligible to sit for the exam. Roper Rehab Hospital has served about 15,000 patients since opening in 1992.

CARF’s survey summary, based on a site visit conducted in mid-January 2008, noted that Roper Rehab Hospital has an excellent reputation in the community. Special citations were also made in the areas of leadership, communications and facility. The rehab team was also recognized for its experience, knowledge and dedication. The three-year accreditations are good through January 2011.

“I was a patient for two weeks in the Roper Rehabilitation Hospital following a bicycle accident that caused a severe injury to my left leg,” stated area resident Meg Howle. “After surgery to repair my tibia plateau fracture, including a plate and screws to put the bone back together, the rehab process began. The hospital’s compassionate nurses, skilled physical therapists and knowledgeable doctors provided a level of care that both reassured me and encouraged my recovery. I am so grateful for their genuine concern for my well-being at the beginning of a long process that allowed me to walk again.”

Dr. Warmoth serves as a CARF surveyor who travels the nation and world conducting accreditation surveys. CARF surveyors are considered among the industry’s most knowledgeable and respected experts in the field of rehabilitation and human services.

“As a surveyor, Dr. Warmoth stays up-to-date on CARF’s stringent standards,” said Cathy Therrell, MSN, RN, CNAA, BC, Director of Roper Rehabilitation Hospital and Rehabilitation Services. “Because he has many opportunities to visit other rehabilitation facilities around the world, he is able to bring the best of what he sees home to Roper Rehab Hospital. That helps keep us on the cutting edge of our industry.”

Founded in 1966, CARF is a private, not-for-profit organization that promotes quality rehabilitation services internationally. The mission of CARF is to advance the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services that center on enhancing the lives of the people served.

Accreditations are awarded to rehab facilities for meeting stringent requirements of staff knowledge, operational procedures, safety and effectiveness. These accreditations represent the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization’s programs and shows its substantial conformance to CARF standards. An organization receiving a three-year accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and demonstrated to a team of surveyors that its programs and services are of the highest quality.

Therrell adds, “We are proud to be listed among the world’s best for our Adult Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital Program and our Stroke Specialty Program.”

In addition, Roper Rehabilitation Hospital recently earned special recognition from Professional Research Consultants (PRC). The Rehab Hospital achieved a Top Performer Award, recognizing the facility and its staff for achieving the highest levels of patient satisfaction in the nation for overall quality care. More than 200 hospitals and healthcare providers, including some of the most prestigious hospitals and health systems across the nation, participate in this annual patient satisfaction research. Nearly 300,000 patients nationwide were surveyed by an independent research firm to generate the results, which determined this award.

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The Roper St. Francis Healthcare Mission:

Healing All People with Compassion, Faith and Excellence.