screenings of the patients to gather information about the patient ’ s medical and functional conditionsm their previous level of function , and the justification to come to the Rehab Unit .
“ The nice thing about me being so close to the medical offices at the hospital and the surrounding area is , if the patient has a question and the doctor isn ’ t sure , I can go to the office and talk to the patient or I can talk to the office themselves ,” said Hicks .
Butler , executive director over rehab and therapy services , has been a physical therapist for more than 31 years . Her job is to see how the rehab unit is being run and make sure patients are meeting criteria , that quality of care is meeting standards , that the unit is operating in compliance with regulations , and other key aspects of the patients ’ care . She also works closely with the admissions team , therapy teams , medical team and discharge planner to ensure the processes are being met during the patient ’ s stay . She looks at the diagnosis and the co-morbidities to find what kind of options the patients have .
Butler takes pride in the unit ’ s policy to keep the family involved and essentially a part of the team .
“ We encourage the families to be actively involved in the planning ,” said Butler . “ When we meet as a team to discuss the plans of care , the family is there too .”
Butler also spoke on one of the types of illnesses that typically warrant a patient a trip to the rehab unit — multiple sclerosis , or simply MS . She explained that each nerve has some “ insulation ” called a myelin sheath . This insulation allows the nerves to communicate with each other more effectively .
In some cases , for various reasons , the sheath can deteriorate which causes a deficit in nerves . These deficits can lead to various dysfunctions of the body that could be totally different for each patient .
Some see problems in walking , balancing , transferring , and getting out of the bed . Some have frequent falls and difficulty moving in their home or community . Others may see issues in swallowing . Some patients may see issues with memory or cognition . Some may even have damage to the optic nerves which can cause difficulty seeing . Weakness and fatigue are also signs of MS .
“ Unfortunately , it ’ s a gradual progression ,” said Butler . “ There are definitely treatments for that ... but it does progress .”
Physical Therapy , Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy are here to help the patients with those various levels of needs .
“ MS is a tough diagnosis ,” said Butler , and it can lead to great dysfunction at later stages . “ However , some patients live full lives with it ... It affects people on a different levels .”
Those with the best outlook for MS are
Kimberly Butler ( left , executive director over rehab and therapy services ) and Allison Hicks ( admissions coordinator for inpatient acute rehab ).
26 • SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky March 2023