Chain, Residential Rehabilitation hospitals

A look at how stroke, or rather, its effects have created a bourgeoning industry. Let us start with the proposition that all the physical effects of stroke are apparent in the first couple of days in hospital. There is a stroke team which finds the neurological cause of the damage using existing hospital resources …. MRI. The survival of the patient is in their hands. They also record all the visible physical damage to the patient. From then on it is a watching brief of the patient plus other critical neurological work.

Now we move into the therapy side of the proposition. More defects emerge- incontinence, speech and swallowing, eye focus. Now stroke patients in major hospitals are planned for a 30 day stay for cost reasons. So any therapy will be minimal. I know of a couple of hospitals who boast of their gyms but there probably only for day patients.

Now the real growth in the therapy industry comes the next step of the recovery. Chain, Residential Rehabilitation hospitals. But that's not all, there are a number of private rehab clinics specialising in neurological physiotherapy. The best ones are at the peak of stroke recovery business.

The stroke family have to sort their way through these options, be careful, visit and ask questions: Let’s see your gym? How many physios are here? What are their qualifications and experience? How much therapy per day? Are all your physios neurologically trained? Will Grandad Have the same physio every day?

Now, you don’t need to know the importance of all these questions. Just have the biggest family member read them from a prepared list on a clipboard and the rest watch the reactions. The clipboard is a powerful tool.

Now, they may ask if anyone in the family has experience in stroke recovery. One group may ask this to put you your place- stupid! You may detect this. The best answer is the truth; we have read every article about stroke we could put our hands on. A good group will be impressed and may make a comment such as “we always make sure that we manage our client’s recovery to suit their needs. You are welcome to spend time in the gym with Grandad.” Do not be surprised at this positive response. It is good business to have clients with realistic expectations.

P.S. A junior member of the hospital on the stroke team, charged into my ward and put me through the standard stroke questions. The same thing happened in the rehab hospital with anther neuro??

P.P.S. don’t let Ted read this or he might think his stroke makes him entitled to a dividend from any profits of rehab facility he has used. That is taking my propositions too ear.

Angus