What is Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatry)?

Physicians are experts in the treatment of medical illness.  However, to the patient, the impact of function-the ability to move, communicate, care for oneself, and work-is often just as important as the illness itself.  Physicians who specialize in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation know that the ability to function is the key to a good quality of life.  These specialists, called physiatrists, are experts in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disabilities of all types.  Working with an interdisciplinary team of experts in many fields-nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, recreational therapy, psychology, social work, and others-physiatrists strive to maximize each patient’s function, quality of life, and independence.

Who will benefit from admission to an acute rehabilitation unit?
Patients are referred to the program for rehabilitation of a wide variety of disorders, including:

• Neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, movement disorders, and stroke
• Traumatic injuries such as traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury
• Amputation
• Burns
• Arthritis and other musculoskeletal disorders
• Postsurgical patients:  brain, spinal, orthopedic, and general
• Generalized debility and deconditioning

What are the criteria for admission to UNC’s rehab unit?
Patients must meet the following criteria:

• Be medically stable
• Be able to tolerate three hours or more of intensive rehabilitative therapies (throughout the day)
• Require the services of at least two inpatient acute rehabilitative therapies (physical, occupational, or speech/language therapy), in addition to rehabilitation nursing and physiatric medical care
• Have a supportive social network and a firm discharge plan in place
• Cognitive ability to carry over instruction from day to day
• If brain injured, have a Ranchos Los Amigos Score level III/IV or higher
• Be ventilator free for at least 72 hours
• Be agreeable to an intensive acute rehabilitation admission. In the event that the person is unable to verbalize agreement, his/her family or guardian will voice agreement with planned admission

Who can make a referral to UNC’s Inpatient Rehab Unit?

Referrals for evaluation of a person for admission to the rehab unit may be generated by a variety of persons, for example, physicians, social workers, case managers or nurses.Who do I call to make a referral?

Requests for admission review are submitted to the Intake Coordinator via the referral line
(919-966-5929)