Better recovery odds
Prepare for rehab before surgery
Prepare for rehab before surgery
cost of your stay and rehabilitation services for the first 20 days following a 3-night hospital visit. After 20 days, Medicare
covers 80 percent of your costs for the next 80 days. If you expect to need rehab for longer than 20 days, you will likely want
to confirm which rehabilitation facilities your insurance company will work with, thus ensuring they will pick up the
remaining 20 percent of the cost of your stay beyond the initial 20 days.
• Ask your orthopedic surgeon which area rehabilitation facilities he or she recommends. Your surgeon receives feedback
from former patients. Ask for a recommendation regarding where to receive physical, occupational or speech therapy.
• Ask your primary physician which area rehabilitation facilities he or she recommends. Again, your physician has likely
worked with patients in most or all area facilities, and may have an opinion on their quality and reputation. Another
consideration is if you need to consult your physician while recovering from surgery, ask which – if any – facilities they
personally visit.
• Talk to your friends and neighbors who have gone through a rehabilitation experience. No one can give you better insight
than someone you trust who has already experienced the rehabilitation process.
• Tour the facilities you are considering. Once you’ve asked around, you or someone you trust should visit the facility. Ask to
speak with a therapist or the director of rehabilitation services to learn more about how they will treat your particular rehab
situation. What is their level of experience in dealing with rehabbing from your particular surgery? What is their general
philosophy on rehabilitation and working with patients? Obviously during this step, you will also want to assess your comfort
level with the facility in general, the type of room you will be staying in and the staff of the rehab facility.
• Contact facilities in advance of your surgery to notify them of your interest in their services and your surgery date. While no
facility will “hold a bed” for you, you increase your chances of being admitted to the facility of your choice if you inform the
admissions staff you would like to rehab at their facility. Provide your name, the hospital performing your surgery, the date of
your surgery and what type of surgery you will undergo.
• Be prepared to provide your hospital discharge planner with your top three rehab facility choices. Once you go to the
hospital, you do not need to worry about contacting a rehab facility, coordinating transportation, etc. This is the job of your
discharge planner, who is experienced in lining up the services you need following your surgery.
• The rehabilitation team at the facility you choose will help prepare you to return home. There are many variables that play
a part in what your ability level will be in your first days back in your home – most importantly, how you respond to your
surgery and rehab. The physical, occupational and speech therapy team at the facility will give you the skills and the tools
you need to return back to your home safely.
Undergoing elective surgery is a difficult decision, but one that can significantly improve the quality of your life. By
following just a few basic steps, you can ensure that your rehab experience is a good one, and gets you back on your feet
and back to normal as quickly as possible.
Mary Ehrlinger, PT, is the Director of Rehabilitation Services for Oakwood Village. Call Mary at (608) 230-4263 for more
information.
covers 80 percent of your costs for the next 80 days. If you expect to need rehab for longer than 20 days, you will likely want
to confirm which rehabilitation facilities your insurance company will work with, thus ensuring they will pick up the
remaining 20 percent of the cost of your stay beyond the initial 20 days.
• Ask your orthopedic surgeon which area rehabilitation facilities he or she recommends. Your surgeon receives feedback
from former patients. Ask for a recommendation regarding where to receive physical, occupational or speech therapy.
• Ask your primary physician which area rehabilitation facilities he or she recommends. Again, your physician has likely
worked with patients in most or all area facilities, and may have an opinion on their quality and reputation. Another
consideration is if you need to consult your physician while recovering from surgery, ask which – if any – facilities they
personally visit.
• Talk to your friends and neighbors who have gone through a rehabilitation experience. No one can give you better insight
than someone you trust who has already experienced the rehabilitation process.
• Tour the facilities you are considering. Once you’ve asked around, you or someone you trust should visit the facility. Ask to
speak with a therapist or the director of rehabilitation services to learn more about how they will treat your particular rehab
situation. What is their level of experience in dealing with rehabbing from your particular surgery? What is their general
philosophy on rehabilitation and working with patients? Obviously during this step, you will also want to assess your comfort
level with the facility in general, the type of room you will be staying in and the staff of the rehab facility.
• Contact facilities in advance of your surgery to notify them of your interest in their services and your surgery date. While no
facility will “hold a bed” for you, you increase your chances of being admitted to the facility of your choice if you inform the
admissions staff you would like to rehab at their facility. Provide your name, the hospital performing your surgery, the date of
your surgery and what type of surgery you will undergo.
• Be prepared to provide your hospital discharge planner with your top three rehab facility choices. Once you go to the
hospital, you do not need to worry about contacting a rehab facility, coordinating transportation, etc. This is the job of your
discharge planner, who is experienced in lining up the services you need following your surgery.
• The rehabilitation team at the facility you choose will help prepare you to return home. There are many variables that play
a part in what your ability level will be in your first days back in your home – most importantly, how you respond to your
surgery and rehab. The physical, occupational and speech therapy team at the facility will give you the skills and the tools
you need to return back to your home safely.
Undergoing elective surgery is a difficult decision, but one that can significantly improve the quality of your life. By
following just a few basic steps, you can ensure that your rehab experience is a good one, and gets you back on your feet
and back to normal as quickly as possible.
Mary Ehrlinger, PT, is the Director of Rehabilitation Services for Oakwood Village. Call Mary at (608) 230-4263 for more
information.
By Mary Ehrlinger
If a hip or knee replacement is in your near future, it’s only natural to
focus your attention on the surgery itself. But there’s an equally important
facet to this process that comes as almost an after-thought: rehabilitation.
Preparing for rehabilitation following the surgery remains a mystery to many
patients. Given the preparation required and the anxiety people often
experience in the weeks leading up to a surgery, it’s understandable that not
everyone spends an adequate amount of time preparing for and researching
rehab facilities. Nevertheless, doing so can be just as important as the surgery
itself when it comes to restoring quality of life.
If you are considering elective surgery, here are a few basic tips you
should know to improve the chances of a satisfying and productive
rehabilitation experience at an area rehabilitation center:
• If you are told you may need rehab following your surgery, call your
insurance company to see which area rehabilitation facilities they will work
with. In general, for adults 62 years of age and older, Medicare will cover the
If a hip or knee replacement is in your near future, it’s only natural to
focus your attention on the surgery itself. But there’s an equally important
facet to this process that comes as almost an after-thought: rehabilitation.
Preparing for rehabilitation following the surgery remains a mystery to many
patients. Given the preparation required and the anxiety people often
experience in the weeks leading up to a surgery, it’s understandable that not
everyone spends an adequate amount of time preparing for and researching
rehab facilities. Nevertheless, doing so can be just as important as the surgery
itself when it comes to restoring quality of life.
If you are considering elective surgery, here are a few basic tips you
should know to improve the chances of a satisfying and productive
rehabilitation experience at an area rehabilitation center:
• If you are told you may need rehab following your surgery, call your
insurance company to see which area rehabilitation facilities they will work
with. In general, for adults 62 years of age and older, Medicare will cover the
Mary Ehrlinger, PT