Inpatient Services
Brain Injury
Brain Injury Program
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Inpatient Brain Injury Program
For over 30 years, Cardinal Hill has been helping individuals rebuild their lives after brain injury. Accredited by CARF*, this signature Brain Injury Program treats persons of all ages who have experienced brain injury through trauma, vascular injury or infectious disease, resulting in mild to severe cognitive and physical deficits.
Brain Injury Program Flyer
Acute Ventilator Program
Child and Adolescent Program Brochure
Patients work with experienced professionals who specialize in treating both traumatic and non-traumatic injuries. Cardinal Hill’s state-of-the-art facility and team of Certified Brain Injury Specialists create an atmosphere that supports the patient and family’s recovery and progress.
The Brain Injury Treatment Team
For a smooth transition to inpatient rehabilitation, the brain injury team maintains communication with referring physicians, while focusing on the patient’s rehabilitative needs. In addition to the Patient, Family and Caregiver, members of the treatment team may include:
• Physician
• Rehabilitation Nurse
• Physical Therapist
• Occupational Therapist
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Respiratory Therapist
• Certified School Teacher
• Care Manager/ Social Worker
• Neuropsychologist
• Psychologist
• Dietician
• Pharmacist
• Chaplain
Family members are included in the treatment team, and we encourage active family participation as the patient works to achieve functional goals. A rehabilitation physician and nurse are available 24 hours a day, attending to each patient daily. Every patient is treated as an individual while working to achieve personal rehabilitation goals. Individual counseling, support groups, family education and referrals for community resources are all available. Family support is a key element in successful rehabilitation experience following brain injury.
Program Features
Along with Medical Management, the plan of care may include:
• Cognitive Retraining
• Innovative Technology and Equipment
• Swallowing Evaluation and Retraining
• Diet and Medication Teaching
• Behavior Modification
• Neuropsychological Evaluation
• Customized Wheelchair Seating and Orthotics
• Therapeutic Community Reentry Activities
• Prevocational Evaluation
• Home and Work Evaluation
• Driving Evaluation
• Aquatic Therapy
• Recreational Activities
• Early Childhood Education Consultation
*CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served.
Inpatient Program Outcomes
Cardinal Hill consistently achieves higher outcome scores than the national averages for rehabilitation services.
Inpatient Brain Injury Statistics:
• The Brain Injury Program treats an average of 230 patients on an inpatient basis.
• Average length of stay on the Brain Injury Unit is 19 days. Length of stay depends on the individual’s needs.
Overall Cardinal Hill Inpatient Outcomes*:
• Patients experience a 58.7% average increase in functional abilities from admission to discharge; the national rate is 56.2%.
• Rate of discharge to the community is 80.7%; the national rate is 70.7%.
*Outcomes vary according to the diagnosis
Follow-up Services
As discharge from the inpatient phase approaches, the team recommends a plan for ongoing rehabilitation. A follow - up visit with a Cardinal Hill physician may be scheduled, and the physician Discharge Summary is sent to referring physicians in acute care and to primary care physicians at home. Referrals are made for home health or outpatient therapy services according to the individual’s needs. For patients planning to return to school, the team works with local school staff to ensure a successful transition back to the academic setting. At the time of discharge, changes may be recommended in the patient’s general medical management, home program or home equipment.
Cardinal Hill provides a full range of services to accommodate entry into the rehabilitation process at any level of treatment after brain injury. In addition to the inpatient program, services include:
• Outpatient Therapy Services
• Outpatient Medical Day Program
• Outpatient Medical Clinic
• Residential Living
• Home Health Care
• Concussion Management/Mild TBI Clinic
• Wellness Programs
To make a referral or for more information call (859) 367-7120
Located in the scenic Bluegrass Region of Lexington, KY, Cardinal Hill is known as the region’s premier physical rehabilitation hospital. For thousands of patients we treat, the most important accomplishments of our services are the result we produce.
Community Partnership
Kentucky AgrAbility
Cardinal Hill is a partner with the University of Kentucky AgrAbility program. AgrAbility is designed to help farmers keep farming after illness and injury. AgrAbility provides services such as: on-farm help like modifying equipment and tools, help finding financial support for assistive technology and farm modifications, and educational programs for farmers. Please visit the AgrAbility website for more information. The link is located under the Related Information tab below.
For additional information regarding Brain Injury, look under the Related Information tab below.

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- 2050 Versailles Road Lexington, KY 40504
- 800.233.3260 | 859.254.5701
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