CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital is a comprehensive medical rehabilitation hospital serving a five-county area. It is a separate but integral part of CarolinaEast Health System. CarolinaEast Rehabilitation began in response to a need for rehabilitation services in Eastern North Carolina. It is located on the first floor of CarolinaEast Health System. The unit has 12 patient rooms, 4 of which are private and 8 are semiprivate, giving a capacity of 20 patients. Since our inception in August 1993, we have proudly helped thousands of individuals regain their independence. The mission of CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital is to provide comprehensive outcome-oriented, interdisciplinary rehabilitation services within our resources and limitations. All services are provided to persons with disabilities and their families in order to maximize function, and enable them to live at their highest level of physical, social, and cognitive independence in the community. Individual rehabilitation plans are patient-driven and will move toward each patient's own goals of independence. Learn more about our patients' successes here.
Philosophy of Practice
CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital is committed to ethical practice for services provided to all persons served. Treatment will be administered under direct supervision of the Medical Director and/or Rehab physician. Professional disciplines will practice according to specific guidelines established by each discipline under their respective standards of professional practice. All persons served will be treated with respect and in a professional manner. The dignity and rights of the person served will be foremost in the treatment program. The person served will have input in all treatment decisions and changes in the treatment plan.
Visiting Hours
Visitation is encouraged for family and friends during non-scheduled therapy times.
Physician / Physiatrist
Your personal physician has assisted with your admission to CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital and may visit you to monitor your progress. The medical director of CarolinaEast Rehab is a physiatrist. This is a physician who has taken a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation after completing medical school. The physiatrist/rehab physician is responsible for prescribing tests, diets and treatments while you are in the rehab program and is a member of your rehab team. When you are ready for discharge from CarolinaEast Rehab, the physiatrist/rehab physician will refer you to your personal physician for your ongoing care.
Psychologist
The rehabilitation psychologist uses psychological knowledge and understanding to help patients achieve their optimal individual and social functioning. Services provided by the rehabilitation psychologist include assessment of cognitive functioning and evaluation of emotional health. Recovering from a serious medical condition can be very challenging and may involve a variety of life changes. As such, the rehabilitation psychologist is also available to help patients, and their significant others, cope with any emotional difficulties that may arise during the rehabilitation process.
Social Worker
The Social Worker is the liaison among the patient, family and rehab team. S/he keeps the family informed of the patient’s progress throughout the rehab stay. The social worker begins working on discharge planning from the time of admission. Referrals will be made for community services, outpatient therapy, financial assistance, if eligible; durable medical equipment, orthotics, disability determination and long-term care placement when needed.
Nurses
Specially trained nurses are on duty 24 hours a day. Nurses will teach you about your medications, disability and the importance of therapy. They will provide support and comfort measures to help assist you with your recovery. Most importantly, the nurses will reinforce and apply the skills you learn in therapy each day.
Physical Therapy
The physical therapist will help you improve your strength, coordination, balance and mobility. To do this, the therapist will use a variety of exercises, various functional training methods and rehab equipment. The staff will assess your home equipment needs and teach you and your family how to use it safely and properly so you can be as independent as possible. If necessary, the therapist will go to your home to recommend changes to make your home safer and more accessible for you.
Occupational Therapy
The occupational therapist will help you reach your maximum potential and the highest quality of life possible by helping you manage everyday activities like bathing and dressing to the best of your ability. Since most of these activities are performed with our hands and five senses, treatment emphasizes arm strength and motion, hand coordination, orientation/memory and visual/perceptual skills. Special equipment can be provided if weakness continues. Arrangements can be made for the therapist to visit the home before discharge to make recommendations for accessibility and safety to benefit you and your family.
CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital maintains an independent living suite that allows you and your family the opportunity to practice modified techniques in a home-like environment.
Orthotics and Prosthetics
The orthotist/prosthetist is responsible for evaluation, measurement, fitting and maintenance of orthotics (braces) and prosthetics (artificial limbs) to assist you with your return to community activities. Orthotic devices are supportive braces or splints for patients who present with muscle weakness, deformity or surgical correction support. Prosthetic devices are custom artificial limbs made from lightweight materials and may incorporate electronic or computer activated components. An evaluation is performed to assess your need for custom or ready-made devices, as well as which components will provide maximum benefit and function for the user. A series of anatomical measurements or a cast is taken to provide an intimately fitted device. After fabrication the orthotic or prosthetic device is fit, adjusted or aligned and the wearer is instructed in use.
Recreational Therapy
The recreational therapist will discuss your routine daily activities and the leisure activities you enjoy. The therapist will design a program that will help you adjust to your disability and to apply newly learned skills in real-life settings. This program can include recreational activities in the Rehab Hospital or a trip to the mall, eating out at a restaurant or going grocery shopping. The recreational therapist may also address nicotine cessation.
Speech Language Pathology
A speech language pathologist will evaluate any problems you have with your speech, voice, language or swallowing. The therapist will then recommend programs to help you restore or compensate for swallowing, speech or language abilities. The speech language pathologist can also teach you alternative communication methods when oral communication is difficult. We are fortunate at our facility to be able to provide the most recent cutting edge technology for swallowing difficulties. This technology is called VitalStim Therapy and is the only neuromuscular electrical stimulation technology cleared by the FDA to restore the swallowing function. The speech pathologist can successfully treat patients of every age, regardless of the reason for the oropharyngeal swallow dysfunction.
Home Health Services
When you require medical assistance at home, our professional staff at CarolinaEast Home Care can provide a complete range of services that offer you the benefit of being able to recover from an illness or injury in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Our registered nurses provide treatments, medical supervision, family instruction and observation as directed by your doctor. A medical social worker can assist you in obtaining other community and financial resources, such as family and patient counseling. Home Health Aides assist with bathing, dressing, personal care, meal preparation and light housekeeping, as well as with exercises and ambulation. Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Speech Language Pathology are available for therapy needs. For more information please call 252.633.8182.
Education Opportunities
We believe that education can empower individuals to improve their overall health. We are proud to provide a free four-week series of classes that focus on stroke education, prevention, and an understanding of the life changes that a stroke patient and their friends and family members must face. Community resource information is also provided. “Stroke Education” is a 4-week series of classes that meets quarterly (February, May, August, November) on Thursdays at 4:00pm in the CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital dining room. Participants may join the class at any session during the 4-week cycle. Topics include: Geographic Factors & Causes of Stroke, Prevention/Risk Factors of Stroke, Lifestyle Changes, What To Do After A Stroke. For more information, please call 252.633.8020.
Support Groups
We recognize that an important part of patient recovery is support from loved ones. We are proud to sponsor two support groups at CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital. These special groups are targeted to provide support to the community and to allow networking among the participants.
Ostomy Support Group meets on the 1st Thursday of each month (September thru May) at Trinity Methodist Church: 1:30pm - Social, 2:00pm – Business Meeting. The Coastal Ostomy Support Group is made up of Ostomy patients that wish to share personal experiences and/or important information and ideas on dealing with ostomies.
Stroke Support Group meets on the 1st Thursday of every month at 4:00pm in the CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital conference room. The Stroke Support Group provides stroke survivors, and their families and friends, with an opportunity to connect with others who are learning to adjust to life following a stroke. Among other things, group members share experiences and information, help each other conquer challenges, and establish friendships.
For more information, please call 252-633-8020.
Electrodiagnostic Services
Special technology to assist physicians in the diagnosis of peripheral and central nervous system injuries is an additional feature at CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital.
Special Clinics
For more information about these special clinics, please call 252-633-8020.
Wound Clinic
Treatment and care for wounds that have not responded to other treatments is another unique service we offer. Wound Clinic is held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Amputee Clinic
Our specialized clinic for amputees includes medical management, prosthetics, physical therapy and also provides instruction in skin care and cardiopulmonary conditioning. Amputee Clinic is held the 2nd Thursday of each month at 10:00am.
Wheelchair Clinic
We custom fit patients with the right kind of wheelchair for their individual needs and then train patients on the proper use of wheelchairs. Wheelchair clinic is held the 3rd Thursday of each month at 10:00am.