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FHRNC resident Vivian Draper waters the plants in the wheelchair accessible garden.
Residents enjoy the chance to get some sunshine and help tend the flora. |
FauquierHealth Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Warrenton, VA, has been granted a three-year
accreditation in both Inpatient Rehabilitation and Person-Centered Long Term
Care, by CARF, the international accrediting body (Commission on Accreditation
of Rehabilitation Facilities). FHRNC is the only skilled nursing facility in
Virginia with an Inpatient Rehabilitation accreditation. FHRNC is one of only
two facilities in the nation holding both accreditations. The recognition is
actually a reaccreditation; FHRNC has been accredited continuously since 2008.
A team of
three surveyors spent several days at FHRNC in March, completing a
comprehensive survey on patient care and medical outcomes. Dr. Julie Ross,
director of Inpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, said that the
visitors were especially impressed with two aspects of patient care at FHRNC:
communication and quality.
“The
surveyors were amazed at how many recreational and educational choices we
provide for residents – everything from Bingo (always popular) to classes, to
special events, like a Senior Prom or a Pet Expo. We have big boards in several
different areas that make it easy for residents to see what options are
available and when.”
Communication extends to patients’ families as well. Family members are
welcome anytime, and are encouraged to talk to staff members about concerns or
specific needs their loved ones may have. The CARF survey talked with all the
stakeholders at FHRNC and found that communication among them – patients,
family, staff – was excellent.
Dr. Ross
said, “To earn the patient-centered care accreditation, the surveyors want to
be sure that the long-term care facility is seen – by staff and residents alike
– as the residents’ home. A lot of emphasis is placed on dignity. At FHRNC,
residents have the same freedoms they would have in their own homes. They can
wake up, eat, sleep and participate in activities when they like. We don’t impose
our schedules on them.”
Communication intersects with quality when it comes to patient care.
Dedicated to preventing problems like medication interactions, falls and
pressure ulcers that can be common in long-term care facilities, Dr. Ross said
that the facility uses patient care quality metrics on a daily basis to drive
the best care.
On the
short-term rehabilitation end, the staff focuses on good communication to make
sure patients are healing as quickly as they are able. Dr. Ross said, “We place
a strong emphasis on providing a plan of care, right from the beginning of a
patient’s time with us. We work to make sure that the discharge information and
transition to home care is as complete as possible. We want to make sure that
when the person is ready to leave our care, that they have the means to
continue improving at home. That’s our commitment to our patients – get better,
and get home.”
Dr. Ross
notes that the CARF survey is voluntary and is above and beyond already
stringent state and federal regulations. “Applying for the CARF accreditation
helps to us to maintain the highest standards. We want to be sure we are
performing at a superior level. ”
She
added, “Our dedicated staff deserves special kudos for all the work they do
every day to ensure our commitment to quality and improvement is clear, not
only to surveyors, but to our residents, patients, their families, and this
community.”
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