HealthSouth Corporation owns and operates inpatient rehabilitative facilities in twenty eight states in US in Puerto Rico. Its headquarters are located in Birmingham. Alabama. The company is known for providing superior level of rehabilitation service to patients recuperating from various debilitating conditions such as stroke, brain and spinal cord injury, amputations, cardiac and pulmonary condition. HealthSouth Corporation operates 101 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, 29 outpatient rehab clinics and 25 home health agencies. It was founded in 1984 as Amcare, Inc by Richard Scrushy, its founder. The first facility was opened in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1985. The company changed its name to Health South Rehabilitation Corporation in 1985. The company expanded rapidly in the early 1990s. In 1996 the company took on the motto "The Healthcare Company of the 21st Century". It changes its name once again in 1995 to Health South Corporation.
According to the company website the company offers the skills and services of a team of highly competent and qualified physicians, therapists, nurses and other team members. “By providing the patient, therapy and treatment program tailored to a specific patient’s needs the company strives to get the patient back to a healthy and normal life”. Rehabilitation programs involve the collaborative and specialized care committed to enhancing, maintaining or re-establishing physical force, cognition and movement with highest success level. Evidence based and outcome based intervention programs are used in rehabilitation of the patients.
The patients who need treatment and rehabilitation therapy after being discharged from hospitals due to various serious health conditions and injuries are served by the Health South Rehabilitation facilities. The conditions for which the health south rehab hospitals offer specialized intervention and care are amputations, arthritis, brain injury, joint replacement, multiple trauma, neurological disorder, spinal cord injury and stroke (Rehabilitation Conditions Health South Rehab program, 2010). Patients of all age groups can get rehabilitation at any of the facilities, however not all facilities offer specialized pediatric care. In addition to in and out- patient rehabilitation program, home care programs and transitional programs are offered to suit the needs of the patients. In order to enter the rehabilitation program patients need a referral provided by the physicians, hospital discharge planners, case manager and allied health professionals. A number of insurance programs are accepted from the patients’ not limited to Medicare. Medicare program warrants that 60% of patients need to have a CMS-13 diagnosis to enter the program while 40% do not (CMS, Medicare program, 2011).
The in and outpatient facilities comply with various federal, state and local regulations. The various facilities operated by Health South rehabilitation group are accredited by the “Joint Commission”. Furthermore, the joint commission has granted “Disease-Specific Care Certification” for some of the rehabilitation programs such as stroke and brain injury rehabilitation, Parkinson’s disease treatment, diabetes mellitus treatment programs offered by the Health South .Rehab facilities.
While researching about Health South rehabilitation hospitals, it was recognized that the founder and chairman Richard Scrushy was accused of committing accounting fraud in 2002 (SEC, 2003). He was replaced by the current CEO and chairman Jay Grinney. Mr. Scrushy was acquitted on all charges. However the company had to undergo major financial reorganization and sell some subsidiaries to avoid bankruptcy. In the recent past, health south rehabilitation hospitals are focusing primarily on in- patient rehabilitation services. It had annual revenue of approximately 2.2 billion US dollars in 2012.
The health care south hospitals are leader in providing comprehensive rehabilitation services for many debilitating and severe diseases and health conditions. It provides team based and result driven rehabilitation and treatment programs.
References
“Securities and Exchange Commission”. HealthSouth Corporation and Richard M. Scrushy: Lit. Rel. No. 18044 / March 20, 2003. www.sec.gov
“CMS". CMS program information on Outreach and Education, Lit. October, 2010. www.cms.gov
“HealthSouth Rehabilitation”. Rehabilitation for various health conditions, Lit. 2010. www.healthsouth.com
