Cheyenne Regional Medical Center’s Acute Rehabilitation Unit Earns Three-Year Accreditation

June 10, 2015

Cheyenne, WY—Cheyenne Regional Medical Center’s (CRMC) acute rehabilitation unit (ARU) recently earned a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

CRMC’s ARU has been accredited by CARF for nine years and is the only CARF-accredited ARU in Wyoming.

CARF International is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body of health and human services that accredits more than 50,000 programs and services at 23,000 locations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.

“Earning CARF accreditation is a rigorous process that includes an on-site survey by two independent medical practitioners who interview staff and also review patient charts to determine the quality of rehabilitation and overall care that’s being provided,” said Carol Rieser, ARU clinical director at CRMC.

CRMC’s ARU was specifically recognized by the CARF surveyors for having a strong commitment to safety and quality, positive patient outcomes, a strong nursing staff, a compassionate staff, renovations that enhance patient and staff experiences, an effective continuum of care and strong connections to the community.

CARF accreditation requires a service provider to commit to ongoing quality improvement and focus on the unique needs of each person.

“CARF accreditation assures patients and their families that an ARU is committed to excellence and the highest quality standards,” said Dr. Prabhu Emmady, ARU medical director at CRMC.

“And while CARF accreditation is optional, we believe it’s important because it demonstrates that we are committed to providing the highest level of rehabilitation care to our patients and community,” Dr. Emmady said. “It also shows that our ARU team is dedicated to helping patients achieve the highest level of independence and improve their overall quality of life.”

An ARU is distinguished from other rehabilitation programs by the amount and level of rehabilitation required. Each patient undergoes intensive rehabilitation at least three hours a day, five days a week.

“In an ARU, a physician leads an interdisciplinary team in providing coordinated rehabilitation care for each patient, with the expectation that the patient will achieve measurable improvements,” Dr. Emmady said. “The rehabilitation care is tailored to fit the needs of the individual.”

CRMC’s ARU specializes in treating people who are recovering from a variety of conditions, including strokes, brain injuries, neuropathy and myopathy, spinal cord injuries, multiple trauma injuries, amputations, neurological disorders, Guillain-Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.