Inpatient Rehabilitation

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Referrals and Admissions

UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Program is one of the nation's premier neurological hospital treatment centers specializing in stroke, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, amputations, and others. Our physicians are board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation while our therapists and nurses have specialty training in various areas of rehabilitation.

Learn more about our program.

For general information about Inpatient Rehab, please read our FAQs.

Helping Patients Achieve Independence

Our mission is to help patients achieve the highest level of independence, using the most advanced therapies available.

Patients admitted to the Inpatient Rehabilitation units participate in three hours of therapy per day (or at least 15 hours per week) with physical therapy, occupational therapy, and/or speech therapy, depending on their needs.

The rehabilitation team also educates patients about the challenges they face and trains families in necessary supportive skills. The program emphasizes the provision of follow-up services to maintain and improve patients’ levels of function, safety, and independence.

A discharge plan that includes community resources and facility services is developed by the rehabilitation team to identify opportunities to further patients’ rehabilitation process.

The Next Stage of Recovery

“Stroke recovery is a combination of hard work, faith, and hope, all of which we provide and believe in as part of an integrated team,” says Nneka Ifejika, M.D., M.P.H., Chief of Stroke Rehabilitation at UT Southwestern. Meet Dr. Ifejika and some of the stroke recovery team as they highlight the outstanding care and rehabilitative therapy patients can expect in the next stage of their stroke recovery – and eventual transition home.

Accreditation

We are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) in the following specialties:

Comprehensive Rehabilitation
Stroke Specialty Program
Spinal Cord Specialty Program
Brain Injury Specialty Program

UT Southwestern Medical Center was also designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, and we are recognized as a Magnet Designated Hospital, the highest honor awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Conditions We Treat

UT Southwestern has extensive experience in the treatment of numerous conditions and disorders that require inpatient rehabilitation, such as:

Burns
Spinal cord injuries

Strokes

Treatments and Technologies

The UT Southwestern treatment team – including physicians, therapists, and registered nurses who have specialty training in rehabilitation – custom designs a treatment program for each patient, which can include one-on-one therapy, team activities, and various medical treatments.

We offer a variety of therapies, such as:

Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Speech therapy

Recreational therapy
Psychology
Social work and case management

Nutritional counseling
Respiratory therapy
Family rounds

Patients benefit from the latest technologies and advancements in rehabilitative medicine and an exceptional level of support. Our treatments include:

Ekso exoskeleton: Wearable machine to promote mobility after stroke or spinal cord injury
Body-weight support system with treadmill: A weight-bearing device that supports patients undergoing rehabilitative treatment by adding stability
Biofeedback: A technique that teaches patients to control their bodily functions
Bioness H200: A device that delivers mild electrical stimulation for rehabilitating the hand
Bioness L300: A device that delivers mild electrical stimulation for rehabilitating the foot
LiteGait: A weight-bearing device that supports mobility and walking
VitalStim: A device that delivers mild electrical stimulation to help patients with difficulty swallowing
SaeboFlex: Orthotics that help position hands and wrists
Nintendo Wii therapy: Motion, balance, and coordination therapy using video games

UT Southwestern Medical Center Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit at Zale Lipshy Pavilion

About the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit

UT Southwestern’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit is a 36-bed facility located on the sixth and eighth floors of Zale Lipshy Pavilion – William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. The unit provides 24/7 rehabilitation nursing care to patients age 18 or older. Exceptions for patients under 18 are made on a case-by-case basis.

Therapy services are available seven days a week, generally from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Social work services are available Monday through Friday, generally from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Care coordination services are available Monday through Friday, generally from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Psychology services are available Monday through Friday, generally from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Inpatient Rehabilitation units offer private patient rooms and suites, fully equipped therapy gyms, a dining room, and a team conference room. In addition, a specialized “activities of daily living” room allows patients to practice daily living skills before returning home, such as making a bed, preparing a meal, or doing laundry.