How to Refer

Referral Contact Information
Walton Rehabilitation Health System

Admissions/Referrals (Inpatient) 706.826.5805
Walton Pain Center 706.724.1821
Walton Headache Center 706.823.5252
Walton Rehabilitation Outpatient Center 706.823.8504
Wellness Center 706.823.5294
Walton West Community Re-Entry 706.724.7746
Harison Heights Assisted and Independent Living 706.733.9557

Admission Criteria

Hospital/Inpatient
Outpatient Center
Walton West Community Re-Entry

Hospital/Inpatient

The following information is needed to complete the evaluation:

1. Face sheet
2. History and physical
3. Consultation reports
4. Operative reports
5. Lab reports
6. Medication record
7. Physical, occupational, & speech therapy notes
8. Contact numbers for next of kin

A decision will be communicated to you within 8 business hours. If accepted, your referral coordinator will provide the admission date for you.

Admissions Criteria

Sixty percent (60%) of all admissions must have at least one of the following diagnoses:
(The other 40% only have to meet criteria 2 – 7.)

a. Stroke
b. Spinal cord injury
c. Congenital deformity
d. Amputation
e. Major multiple trauma
f. Fracture of the femur
g. Brain injury
h. Neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease
i. Burns
j. Arthritis with bilateral total joint replacements
k. Arthritis with unilateral total joint replacement and

i. at least 85 years old or
ii. has a body mass index of at least 50

There must be a physical deficit which impairs performance of two or more of the following:

l. Activities of Daily Living
m. Mobility skills
n. Communicative/Cognitive abilities

There must be an ability to participate in an average of three hours of therapy daily over the course of their rehab stay. (Therapy is scheduled in various time increments and the patient is not required to tolerate three consecutive hours).

There must be the potential for functional improvement.

There must be a need for twenty-four hour nursing care.

There must be a need for close medical supervision in conjunction with a tolerance of the rehabilitation program. Patients may have:

o. Multi-system involvement
p. Weaned from a ventilator 48 hours or longer
q. Extensive wound care
r. IV and antibiotic therapy
s. MRSA
t. Hemodialysis
u. Need for upper airway management
v. Pain management
w. Tracheostomy

There must be the desire and potential to return home.

Outpatient Center

Admission Criteria:

            A.        Medically stable.

            B.         Recent onset or exacerbation (within one year) of an illness and/or injury which has resulted in physical, psychosocial, cognitive, and/or communication deficits which interfere with independent functioning; any recent (within one year) decline in patient function

            C.        Potential for functional improvement.

            D.        Need for skilled, professional intervention.

            E.         Able and willing to actively participate and benefit from treatment.

            F.         Able to function safely within a supervised setting with intermittent minimal assistance.

            G.        Referral from a physician or physician’s assistant licensed and in good standing in the state of Georgia or South Carolina to practice medicine, surgery, dentistry, or podiatry.

            H.        Free of active tuberculosis.

Walton West Community Re-Entry

I. Patients considered for admission to Walton West Community Re-entry Program should have one or more of the following documented medical conditions:

TBI

CVA

Anoxic injury or other Encephalopathies

Post Concussion Syndrome

Other Neurological Disease resulting in cognitive limitations or dysfunctions

Spinal Cord Injury (with some Neurological/Cognitive
Component)

II. Physician Approval is needed documenting that the patient is medically stable and able to participate in residential, day treatment, or apartment program.

III. Medical conditions such as tracheostomy, feeding tubes, infections, decubitis ulcers, dialysis, active substance abuse, insulin dependent diabetes, etc. will be reviewed on a case by case basis by Program Director.

IV. Patient must demonstrate potential to benefit from full range of transitional living or community reentry services.

V. Patient should be functioning at Rancho Los Amigos Scale of Cognitive Functioning at least at level IV to

VI. Patient should be at least 16 years of age (exceptions considered)

VII. Prescriptions for medical services needed (therapies, medications, special DME, etc.) must be provided prior to actual admission.

Please note that above criteria are provided as guidelines. Program Director or Walton West Regional Referral Coordinators should be consulted regarding any cases needing special consideration.