Programs and Services
Brain Injury Program
Patient Care
Evaluating a Patient's Progress -- and Care
For More Information
Kernan offers a brain injury support group as well as a weekly brain injury program for inpatients and their families. Located adjacent to the brain injury unit is the Brain Injury Association for Maryland. Click here for more information.
A patient's interdisciplinary team holds weekly meetings to discuss and evaluate his or her progress and care. Family conferences - attended by the interdisciplinary team, the patient, and his or her family members - are arranged as needed to review the patient's medical status, capability for independent functioning and rehabilitation goals. During these conferences, family members are encouraged to ask questions and express any concerns they may have about their loved one's progress, discharge and at-home care needs.
Family Involvement
Family involvement in brain injury rehabilitation is paramount. The Inpatient Brain Injury Program features an array of educational offerings designed to train family members on the techniques needed to assist their loved one and help them understand the effects of brain injuries. Family and caregiver and support groups are also available.
The Brain Injury Program at Kernan is separate from other patient care units, has its own dining and activity areas, and features state-of-the-art patient care areas. The comfortable settings reduce anxiety, promote quicker recovery, and maintain patients dignity and quality of life.
The Coma Emergence Program available at Kernan Hospital provides medical and rehabilitative treatment to help bring patients to their highest level of function as they emerge from coma. When patients recover enough to participate in an acute inpatient brain injury recovery program, they are transferred to the Acute Rehabilitation Program at Kernan. For those patients whose recovery will take longer, the staff assists families in making plans for placement at other levels of care.
The Acute Rehabilitation Program at Kernan provides intensive, goal-directed rehabilitation services to help each patient achieve the highest possible level of physical, cognitive and behavioral function before being discharged into the community. Physical, occupational, speech and therapeutic recreational therapists, provided Monday through Saturday, focus on the improvement of daily living skills. Patients on this unit must be able to actively participate in three or more hours of daily therapy. The average length of stay is less than 16 days, and most patients return home after discharge. While at Kernan, patients have access to outstanding rehabilitation facilities, including well-equipped gyms, a 48-foot hydrotherapy pool, healing garden, sports court and access to the beautiful grounds.
Kernan's Brain Injury Program is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) as a Brain Injury Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Program.
Outpatient Follow-up Care
As patients and their families prepare for discharge, the rehabilitation team will introduce them to Kernan Hospital's broad array of outpatient therapy services. These services, all of which follow a coordinated plan of care, include neuropsychological follow-up care; speech-language, occupational and physical therapies; physician care and the Day Hospital Program.
Team members may also put patients and families in contact with community-based clinical and support services. For more information about outpatient therapy services, please call 410-448-6599.