Inpatient Rehabilitation Program Features

The WK Inpatient Rehabilitation program is housed in a 31-bed hospital centrally located in Shreveport, Louisiana, at I-20 and Line Avenue. The current facility (1111 Line Ave.) opened in 2017 with beautiful interior decor that creates a warm, healing environment. Highlighted additions include a theater, patient dining room and recreational activities area.

Intensive Hospital Level of Rehabilitation

We are a licensed and certified acute rehabilitation unit with intensive, hospital level rehabilitation that differs from what you’ll find at skilled nursing homes or long-term acute care hospitals. Nursing service areas are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Rehab doctors are on call 24 hours a day for medical management. Inpatient therapy services are available Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on weekends as indicated by patient need. Therapy attendance is typically twice a day (with the exception of speech, which may be once a day), for a minimum of three hours of intense therapy services a day.

Referrals

Ask for a referral to WK Rehabilitation from your doctor, insurance source, discharge planner / case manager or care giver. Referrals can be started by calling the post-acute care management department at 318-716-4770.

Experienced Medical Management

The program offers high-level clinical staff and consulting doctors to manage the often serious and complex medical needs of more than 500 patients admitted from the region each year. Our medical director, Katharine Balbuena, MD, a board-certified rehabilitation specialist with more than two decades of experience, coordinates the rehabilitation plan of care for each patient.

Comprehensive System of Health Care

Willis Knighton Health is the largest not-for-profit health system in Louisiana that includes:

• Five hospitals
• Progressive Care Center
• The Oaks of Louisiana retirement community
• Fitness centers
• Quick Care centers
• Extensive network of physician specialty clinics
• Full range of support services.

Expert Staff

Our skilled rehabilitation specialists provide customized therapies as part of an interdisciplinary team:

• Doctor
• Physical therapist
• Occupational therapist
• Speech therapist
• Case manager
• Social worker
• Rehabilitation nurse
• Registered dietitian
• Technologists
• Specialty doctors are available for consultation.

Many nurses have the added credential “CRRN” as a certified rehabilitation registered nurse. Our staff to patient ratio for both therapy and nursing is 1:5 or 1:6, which allows for very personal, patient-focused care.

Family/Support System Involvement

WK inpatient rehabilitation offers a family oriented program with no restricted visitation unless medically indicated. Limited overnight space is available for the primary caregiver in the patient’s private room. Patients and families should tell staff of any cultural needs or preferences (dietary, spiritual or other) upon admission so the team can customize care and treatment. We encourage family participation in decision making and patient training so they are comfortable and prepared to take over the responsibilities of caring for their loved one after discharge. The program provides referrals to support groups and extensive community resources to aid in this transition. Many support groups are led by our staff on Willis Knighton campuses.

Insurance Coverage

Our program is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most major health plans. We also accept workers’ compensation, fee-for-service and out-of-pocket payers. Insurance coverage is verified and approved before admission so that patients know of any out-of-pocket expenses in advance. We update insurance and continue authorization throughout the stay. Post-acute case managers make recommendations for different levels of care if admission is declined by the patient, family or insurance. Additional fees for items such as guest food trays and other incidental charges may apply.

Excellent Discharge Resources

A major advantage Willis Knighton Health offers patients is access to a full range of post-acute services depending on level of need and function. Those resources include:

• Skilled nursing services
  • Progressive Care Center
  • Health Center at Live Oak

• Less intensive rehabilitation or outpatient rehabilitation services
  • Several outpatient locations
  • Home health
  • Hospice care

Performance and Outcomes

We are committed to continuous performance improvement and excellence in providing rehabilitation services as we monitor our patient outcomes against a national and regional database each quarter. Patient satisfaction is routinely monitored with comment cards available throughout the unit and online. Surveys after discharge also help determine the quality of patients’ experience in our program.

Accreditation Sets Us Apart

The program at different locations meets CARF accreditation criteria for:

• Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs – Hospital (Adults)
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs – Hospital: Stroke Specialty Program (Adults)
• Interdisciplinary Outpatient Medical Rehabilitation Programs (Adults, Children and Adolescents).

CARF accreditation represents the highest honor awarded to a rehabilitation program and Willis Knighton is the only CARF accredited medical rehabilitation program north of the I-10 corridor in Louisiana. Willis Knighton Rehabilitation Institute is also accredited by The Joint Commission, which indicates we meet or exceed national performance standards and receive their seal of approval.