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NYU Langone Health in New York City is expanding on a rehabilitative care collaboration by adding a physician presence to a nursing home operated by Centers Health Care.
The initial program model, which debuted at Boro Park Center in Brooklyn, will be expanded to Amsterdam Nursing Home in Manhattan and will include the presence of a dedicated Rusk physician onsite at the nursing care facilities to provide direct care to residents.
Rusk Rehabilitation is a program of NYU Langone Health. The initiative places dedicated physicians onsite to improve patient care and mitigate staffing shortages.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT
The partnership has served more than 1,000 patients since the initial launch five years ago, with a discharge goal rate significantly higher than the state and the national averages, according to NYU Langone and Centers Health Care.
The program’s goal is to help residents regain mobility, independence and overall quality of life while reducing the need for hospital readmissions, said Nachman Feig, administrator at Boro Park Center.
"Having a Rusk physician onsite has transformed the rehabilitation experience for our residents," said Feig. "We've seen firsthand how this level of specialized, hands-on care can accelerate recovery and restore confidence.”
Amsterdam Nursing Home welcomed its first Rusk physician in August, supported by an interdisciplinary team offering physical, occupational and speech therapies, along with specialized programs for neurological, psychiatric, orthopedic and cardiopulmonary conditions.
"Since joining Amsterdam Nursing Center, I've been able to work with residents from the moment they arrive and support them through every stage of recovery," said Dr. Matthew Glenn, clinical instructor at Rusk Rehabilitation. "I make sure they understand their treatment plans, feel supported and have the tools to address preventative care so they can keep their progress going long after they leave the program.”
THE LARGER TREND
This year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services kicked off the Home Staffing Campaign, offering eligible nursing homes a shot at applying for Financial Incentive Administrator designation.
Organizations that become an FIA will provide funds to RNs to work in a qualifying nursing home or at a state agency for three years, according to the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living.