By 2032 there will be 709,000 Australians living with stroke, or 2.4% of the population (Deloitte Access Economics, 2013). Anticipating the profound effects this will have on our community, MetroRehab Hospital has decided to put together the STROKES AHEAD program to better serve those living with stroke. We are developing our team and our services to provide the highest quality of rehabilitation to meet this growing need. The establishment of the Sydney Stroke Rehabilitation Centre at MetroRehab Hospital this year is a testament to our commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for stroke survivors and their families.
The National Stroke Foundation ‘My Stroke Journey’ packs are given routinely to all stroke patients. The packs provide patients with information on stroke and vital community resources for their life after MetroRehab Hospital. The more understanding patients have of their condition, the more empowered they will be to manage it and drive their rehabilitation.
We also recognise and respect the contribution of families and care givers. We have strong links with the National Stroke Foundation and the Stroke Association of NSW as we know these organisations are vital to maintaining the well-being of our clients and families when they leave rehabilitation.
Staying at the forefront of technology is essential for stroke therapy. MetroRehab Hospital has recently purchased the Lite Gait body weight support treadmill system to help people regain their ability to walk. We also have the Saebo hand orthosis to help overcome weakness, allowing patients to use their affected arm during functional tasks. Research shows that this task specific training is critical to recovery in the arm. In addition, the Bioness L300 is available to patients and provides electrical stimulation to the leg to assist with walking in stroke. These technologies are available to inpatients and Day Program patients alike.
MetroRehab Hospital excels in stroke rehabilitation services
MetroRehab Hospital is currently ranked in the top 5 private hospitals in NSW for providing stroke rehabilitation services (AROC Benchmarking Workshop, May 2015, pg. 41). As a direct result of our recent initiatives and focus on stroke rehabilitation, we have seen a significant improvement in the clinical outcomes achieved. This is evidenced by our most recent Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC) reports (2013 & 2014 Calendar Year Reports). The Australasian Rehabilitation Outcome Centre (AROC) holds the licence for the national rehabilitation outcome measurement tool used in Australia, the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). FIM measures patient levels of independence across 18 activities of daily living (e.g. eating, toileting, bathing, transfers, mobility etc). AROC are responsible for the management and reporting of the national rehabilitation data sets
(including FIM) and reporting of benchmark data. We participate in this benchmarking program to measure and monitor our own performance and to compare that performance to national benchmarks and other private rehabilitation hospitals.
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