
Restoring health, maintaining independence
Outpatient rehabilitation centers play a growing role in delivering patient-centered care. These facilities focus on helping patients recover from new or chronic medical conditions. Typically, patients travel to a clinic or other facility to attend rehabilitation therapy sessions. Outpatient rehabilitation often helps maintain, restore, and improve movement, activity, and health, enabling an individual to have optimal functioning and quality of life.
Career opportunities in outpatient rehabilitation
With an aging population and potential increased access to healthcare services for people with disabilities through healthcare reform, demand for outpatient rehabilitation may substantially increase in the coming years. Careers in this field are growing faster than average nationally. Trends in Western Massachusetts seem to be mirroring this national growth.
Career opportunities in outpatient rehab can include:
- Physical Therapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Physical Therapist Assistant
- Occupational Therapist Assistant
- Speech-Language Pathologist
- Registered Nurse RNs)
What is it like to work in an outpatient rehabilitation facility?
Outpatient rehabilitation facilities often have the following characteristics:
- Many rehabilitation patients are elderly. Working with the elderly can be extremely rewarding, but it does require special skills. In order to have the most career options possible working in outpatient rehab, gaining these skills is critical.
- Hours are usually regular. While every facility is different, outpatient rehabilitation is not usually a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week facility. Shifts are often more predictable than in a setting like a hospital or residential nursing facility.