07/25/08

Return VIsit

by SuzanneHildebrand

We are now back at RIOSA. We were here previously when my husband suffered a brain hemorrhage in April. Due to the excellent care he received , he was almost back to normal when he fell as the result of negligence at a local hospital. The fall was devastating to him physically and neurologically. He is worse now than he was after the stroke. We knew he had to return to RIOSA for rehab as they have equipment other facilities don't have, they have a large facility and they are a dedicated rehab facility, not a nursing home or hospital whose primary focus is medical. Primarily is the quality of care from the therapists whose knowledge and dedication are critical to the success of the patient. RIOSA provides the best rehab and he is making progress, though it is slower this time due to the injuries. He feels safe here and I am confident enough in their care that I will leave him for a few hours. The one time I left him prior to this visit, is when he fell at the hospital. That taught me a lesson that I won't ever forget. The continuity of care, with the therapists who are knowledgeable about him and his comfort level with them benefits him greatly. He trusts them and they know him well enough to know if something is wrong. He responds to them more than he would a stranger. I am happy to report that RIOSA is still the best in my opinion.

• Pros: Care, compassion
• Cons: None

06/29/08

Objective rating from an insider....

by hnybmrb

As someone who has been employed at RIOSA, I can say that there are definate pro's and con's about RIOSA, but more pro's than cons. If you are willing, able, and need to have 3 hours of therapy every day, I definately recommend it.

The licensed therapists all have either master's or doctorates, so they really know what they're doing. It is true that there is unlicensed help, but they only strictly follow what the therapist tells them to do with the patients. They are called Techs. Most techs are already studying therapy or applying to therapy schools, which says alot for RIOSA because at most other facilities, techs are just anyone you could pull off the street. Everybody in our rehab department has a true love for making people well and work to their maximal potential each and every day to see that happen.

Therapy and nursing are slightly under staffed at this time, so things are kind of hectic, especially with all the renovations going on, but we are trying to resolve that as fast as possible. We do have a lot of contract nurses right now, which makes it difficult to get top notch nursing care, because most aren't around long enough to "learn the ropes" so to speak, and so patient care decreases subsequently.

As for the Doctor with a few seconds comment below... I have never seen more attentive doctors than the ones at RIOSA. These doctors even come down to the therapy gym to check on their patients! All the other hospitals I have worked at, the doc is in the room for 2 seconds, does a quick screen, asks 2-5 questions, and is out... no time for patient questions, leave those to the nurse. The food is bad, and the cafeteria's only open during lunch mon-fri. And case managers are awesome and on the ball with getting exactly what the patient needs. Our cognitive therapy is top notch.

If you need aggressive neuro rehab I wouldn't recommend anywhere else, but don't come if you just want pampered all day long. You will be here to work to get better.

• Pros: docs, therapy service/knowledge, parking, effectiveness of rehab
• Cons: food, nurse service

04/13/08

DO NOT GO THERE

by LRAVEN101

HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE! THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER HOSPITALS YOU COULD GO TO, DO NOT PICK THIS ONE. EVERYTHING IS NOT RIGHT, I FEEL THAT THEY GET BY WITH UNLICENSED STAFF AS WELL. MY FAMILY MEMBER WAS TREATED HORRIBLE, AND THEY WERE OVER MEDICATED AT TIMES. IF YOU DOCTOR, OR FAMILY RECOMMEND THIS HOSPITAL DO NOT LISTEN.

• Pros: PARKING IS FREE
• Cons: STAFF, TV'S, AND FOOD