Philly Leader

Albert Einstein Medical Center issued the following announcement on April 23

MossRehab has established a 12-bed unit for Covid-19 patients needing rehabilitative care.

"We opened the unit on April 7 and by April 10 we were at full capacity," said Dr. Alberto Esquenazi, MossRehab's chief medical officer. "We've stayed at full capacity ever since."

The creation of the unit was prompted by discussions Esquenazi had last month while exploring the impact the new coronavirus strain was having on the ability of rehab hospitals to deliver therapy.

Esquenazi said he spoke with colleagues in Italy, Spain, South Korea, Japan and China, and learned many institutions had not anticipated the number of patients recovering from Covid-19, particularly those requiring ventilators, who needed acute inpatient rehabilitation before returning to their communities.

In a preemptive move, MossRehab set up what is being called the CORE+ unit — for Covid-19 plus rehab — at its main campus in Elkins Park, Montgomery County.

Setting up the unit cost MossRehab and its parent company, Einstein Healthcare Network, about $500,000 in training, staffing and personal protective equipment expenses.

Esquenazi said the unit is for both patients who need rehab after being treated for COVID-19 and existing rehab patients who are infected.

The first patient to be discharged from the unit had a neurological problem tied to a blood supply issue and contracted COVID-19 while in a different hospital for brain surgery.

"We took him here and after two weeks he was able to go home to his pregnant wife," Esquenazi said. "That was quite an emotional moment. He has fortunately recovered quite well."

Esquenazi said they also provided care to a husband and wife who both had Covid-19 and had not seen each other for weeks until they arrived at MossRehab. "They were able to do the rehabilitation together," he said.

MossRehab believes its model is one of the first of its kind in the United States. Other physical medicine and rehabilitation providers have reached out to Esquenazi and MossRehab to learn more about the unit and how it was created.

"We don't take patients on ventilators, and patients have to be showing signs they are improving — but they are still infectious"

As a result, the CORE+ unit was established in a section of MossRehab that can be isolated and has its own hallway and elevator.

The unit also has a designated staff of nurses, physicians, therapists — all of whom must follow strict personal protective equipment requirements. Esquenazi said a respite area was created to give hospital staff a place where they can temporarily remove their PPE and take a break.

Original source can be found here.