One Step Closer

In today’s modern world, medical professionals are constantly looking to incorporate fresh solutions to advance the efficiency of healthcare. For Mercy Health’s Acute Rehabilitation Unit (ARU), amplifying the efficiency of their medical services has been the primary topic of discussion, especially because theirs is the only program of its kind within 30 miles of Springfield. 

The ARU is a free-standing, 24-bed rehabilitation facility located within Springfield Regional Medical Center. Approximately 500 patients are cared for in this area of the hospital annually. Doctor Chris Kusmierczyk represents the ARU as its Program Director. Kusmierczyk along with Dr. Bobby Parrett, Director of Rehabilitation Services at Mercy Health, understand that as a patient recovers from functional disabilities associated with medical incidents such as stroke, spinal cord injuries, acquired brain injuries, or other major trauma, they are often discharged from hospitals before they have attained a level of independence which is sustainable enough to ultimately return home safely. With this in mind, they are working to develop and construct what has been coined the “One Step Closer To Home” project. 

One Step Closer To Home hopes to redesign the current Acute Rehabilitation Unit in a more familiar way, as opposed to the typical styles of a hospital. This design will incorporate the names and faces of local organizations or activities, coupled with the more traditional technology involved in physical, occupational, and speech therapy solutions that are aimed at supporting patients during recovery to promote long-term relief. 

Studies have shown that treatment environments have an effect on a patient’s anxiety/stress levels, recovery time, length of hospital stays, amount of medication used, and physical comfort. The incorporation of the One Step Closer To Home project hopes to foster a sense of well-being in a more progressive manner. Inspired by Mercy Health’s sister hospital, St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima, Ohio, the blueprint includes 10 to 12 stations divided into 3 primary zones. This includes an area directly reflecting Springfield’s downtown, one for business and commerce-styled design, and the last third will be apartments. All areas will feature functioning utilities pertaining to different recovery methods for physical, occupational, and speech therapy.  

“I think what makes this project different is that the whole floor is going to be more energizing, as patients are getting to live in their community. We are bringing them one step closer to home, maximizing the quality of the care that we provide,” says Parrett. 

The idea is to prevent the readmission of patients after they return home, and to practically accelerate the healing process of those who are receiving inpatient care with lasting results. “This isn’t just to put fresh paint on the walls for aesthetic purposes, but intended to drive quality outcomes and better engage our patients and their families. To make the whole process from start-to-finish, more smooth for everyone involved,” adds Kusmierczyk. 

Some establishments who have jumped at the opportunity to partner with their local hospital in this way include Groceryland, Ridgewood Café, and Park National Bank. There will even be a station for the ARU’s therapy dog, Henry. The functioning zones which these businesses are going to represent will operate as practical representations of that establishment, so individuals can exercise their abilities to function in common scenarios one might face upon being discharged from inpatient care. A QR code will also be incorporated for each station, connecting people directly to the organization which sponsored that particular area. 

“We’ve had a patient who appeared to be doing great and walking great lengths in the hall. But it wasn’t until she got home with a walker that her sliding-door came back at her knocking her off balance leading to a broken hip. Within 48 hours she was back in the hospital. Those kinds of surprise situations can happen, but as I’ve often said to people, that incident really lit a fire under us to get this project complete for our community,” comments Parrett. He continues, “Right now we don’t have a screen door to simulate those kinds of activities. We don’t have a mock-grocery store where they can practice shopping on their own before they can do the real task at home, or a restaurant where they can practice getting in and out of a booth in certain ways dependent on their affliction. The goal of this is to practice these functioning skills under the watchful supervision of a licensed therapist. And to be able to work on those skills with their families as well, so they can be able to confidently live with and care for that individual.” 

The transformation is already underway, working diligently and around the schedules of the patients currently staying within the unit. Nonetheless Parrett and Kusmierczyk hope to have the finished product up and in operation by the end of the year. The project continues to evolve the more it is completed, but Parrett and Kusmierczyk ultimately note that “By having these 10-ish stations, and by bringing the community to patients, we hope to improve the body, mind, and spirit of each.”