10A NCAC 13B .2021. PHYSICIAN REQS FOR INPATIENT REHABILITATION FACILITIES OR UNITS

(a)  In a rehabilitation facility or unit a physician shall participate in the provision and management of rehabilitation services and in the provision of medical services.

(b)  In a rehabilitation facility or unit a rehabilitation physician shall be responsible for a patient's interdisciplinary treatment plan.  Each patient's interdisciplinary treatment plan shall be developed and implemented under the supervision of a rehabilitation physician.

(c)  The rehabilitation physician shall participate in the preliminary assessment within 48 hours of admission, prepare a plan of care and direct the necessary frequency of contact based on the medical and rehabilitation needs of the patient.  The frequency shall be appropriate to justify the need for comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation care.

(d)  An inpatient rehabilitation facility or unit's contract or agreements with a rehabilitation physician shall require that the rehabilitation physician shall participate in individual case conferences or care planning sessions and shall review and sign discharge summaries and records.  When patients are to be discharged to another health care facility, the discharging facility shall assure that the patient has been provided with a discharge plan which incorporates post discharge continuity of care and services.  When patients are to be discharged to a residential setting, the facility shall assure that the patient has been provided with a discharge plan that incorporates the utilization of community resources when available and when included in the patient's plan of care.

(e)  The intensity of physician medical services and the frequency of regular contacts for medical care for the patient shall be determined by the patient's pathophysiologic needs.

(f)  Where the attending physician of a patient in an inpatient rehabilitation facility or unit orders medical consultations for the patient, such consultations shall be provided by qualified physicians within 48 hours of the physician's order.  In order to achieve this result, the contracts or agreements between inpatient rehabilitation facilities or units and medical consultants shall require that such consultants render the requested medical consultation within 48 hours.

(g)  An inpatient rehabilitation facility or unit shall have a written procedure for setting the qualifications of the physicians rendering physical rehabilitation services in the facility or unit.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 131E-79; 143B-165;

Eff. May 1, 1993;

Amended Eff. December 1, 1993.