Inpatient Rehabilitation

physical therapy The Tulane Inpatient Rehabilitation Center has 17 private rooms for comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation located at Lakeside Hospital in Metairie, LA. Our specialized rehabilitation team helps patients reach their goals and return to home, work or school as soon as possible. Each patient's care is customized to fit their needs, and care plans are developed with the input of the patient, family, physician and rehabilitation team.

Tulane Health System physicians representing a variety of medical specialties are available for consultation as needed. The medical director is responsible for the overall management of the patient’s recovery and serves as an important resource to the patient and family. Coordinated care among our team of professionals with patient and family helps maximize a patient’s potential in reaching his or her goals.

Tulane Inpatient Rehabilitation Center specializes in the treatment of patients recovering from many types of injuries and illnesses, including:

Neurological injury and stroke
Complex surgeries
Physical trauma
Cardiac & pulmonary conditions

Services and treatments

24/7 Hospitalist Coverage
Onsite Dialysis
Rapid Response Team and Onsite Emergency Services
Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Speech Language Pathology
Nutrition
Patient Referrals
Transitional Living

Additional resources

VitalStim®

Tulane Rehabilitation's speech language pathologists are certified in the new cutting edge Vital Stim® technology. This neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy approved by the FDA is used for patients with swallowing disorders, otherwise known as oral-motor dysphagia. Vital Stim® is the first proven treatment for dysphagia.

Please visit Vital Stim for more information.

Lite gait

Tulane Rehabilitation's physical therapists have seen amazing results using this innovative technology. The LiteGait is a partial weight bearing gait training technique that enables the physical therapist to facilitate normal gait patterns for patients with even severe gait deficits by providing a safely supported environment for the patient.

Please visit LiteGait for more information.

Transitional living room

Tulane Rehabilitation offers a transitional living room that allows patients to practice the skills they need for greater independence in activities of daily living. In some cases, an overnight stay in the transitional living room with a spouse or other caregiver is a helpful step in preparing for the return home.

Community re-entry

Tulane Rehabilitation offers a wide variety of community re-entry therapy that advocates the patient's return to their prior independent living situation. Therapists tailor these visits to the specific needs of the patients.

Home safety evaluations (as needed)

Home Evaluations are offered when the rehabilitation team feels that this is necessary for a safe return home. Tulane Rehabilitation's occupational and physical therapists will work with the patient and their family on recommendations for equipment for home.

Arts in medicine

The Arts in Medicine (AIM) program provides arts-related workshops, activities and performances for patients, their caregivers, and staff. AIM recognizes the integral role of the arts in healing the spirit and transforming the treatment experience. A creative outlet helps to reduce stress, anxiety, boredom and the perception of pain. Programming includes fine arts workshops, group art activities, music therapy sessions, chair-side crafts in infusion, music performances in the waiting areas and more. One-on-one sessions may also be scheduled. No artistic experience necessary!

For more information please contact AIM coordinator:

Julie Connelly
Email Julie Connelly
504.780.6830

Rehabilitation nurse

Tulane Rehabilitation's Rehabilitation nurses are an essential part of the rehabilitation team to help patients achieve their greatest potential and work toward productive, independent lives. Our rehabilitation nurses work with patients and their families from day one to help them manage complex medical issues and thereby maximize their independence. During the patient's continued stay, the rehabilitation nurses educate the patient and families in order to ensure a more independent discharge to home. The nurses work hand-in-hand with the staff physicians and therapists, promoting the progress made in therapy in an effort to help patients gain independence.

Case manager/social worker

The case manager/social worker at Tulane Rehabilitation works with the patient and their family to coordinate and plan for an easy transition to home. They assist patients with finding community resources, understanding the complexities of insurance, and coordinating for appropriate equipment for home. The social worker also is available to provide supportive counseling when needed.

Physical therapist

The physical therapy team at Tulane Rehabilitation is skilled with helping patients with their ability to move. Our physical therapists provide therapy through different types of treatments with the goal of promoting functional independence for the patient and thereby decreasing the burden of care on families and caregivers. Since every patient is unique, each physical therapy program is tailored to meet the individual needs of the patient.

Tulane Rehabilitation currently has the latest gait technology called LiteGait. The LiteGait is a partial weight bearing gait training technique that enables the physical therapist to facilitate normal gait patterns for patients with even severe gait deficits by providing a safely supported environment for the patient. Tulane Rehabilitation's physical therapists have seen amazing results using this innovative technology. For more information, visit Lite Gait.

Occupational therapist

The occupational therapy team at Tulane Rehabilitation helps patients to regain independence in their activities of daily living. Our occupational therapists focus on daily skills such as dressing, grooming, eating, and bathing. They offer a wide variety of adaptive equipment to assist patients with achieving their greatest level of independence. Tulane Rehabilitation's occupational therapists are trained in treatment of the neurologically impaired upper extremity and can offer a wide variety of custom treatment plans that address the individual's barriers to optimal function.

Speech language pathologist

Tulane Rehabilitation's speech language pathologists are skilled in providing comprehensive, state-of-the-art diagnostic evaluation and treatment services for patients on the rehab unit with communication and/or swallowing disorders. Our speech pathologists treat the adult rehabilitation population who have sustained traumatic brain injuries, strokes, aneurysms, spinal cord injuries, neuromuscular diseases, tumor resections, laryngeal pathologies and tracheostomies. The speech therapist is part of the inpatient rehabilitation team and provides education and training for patients and their families so that patients may achieve their fullest potential.

Registered dietician

Tulane Rehabilitation's registered dieticians are experts in food and nutrition. They work with the rehabilitation team to develop nutritional plans to meet the patient's individualized nutritional needs. These plans include nourishment, tube feedings, intravenous feeding such as total parenteral nutrition (TPN) or peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN), diets, and education. They also supervise the preparation and service of food, develop modified diets, participate in research, and educate individuals and groups on good nutritional habits.