Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Receives Three-Year CARF Accreditation

The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) recently accredited Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital, including its unit at Pocono Medical Center and Pediatric Unit in Bethlehem, for a period of three years for the following programs:

• Inpatient Rehabilitation Program - Hospital (adults)
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Program - Hospital (children and adolescents)
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Program - Hospital: Brain Injury Program (adults)
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Program - Hospital: Brain Injury Program (children and adolescents)
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Program - Hospital: Stroke Specialty Program (adults)

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital has been accredited by CARF since 1983. Organizations that receive three-year CARF accreditation undergo a rigorous peer review process and demonstrate to a team of surveyors, during an onsite visit, that their program is of the highest quality.

Good Shepherd was recognized for exemplary conformance to a CARF standard in three areas:

• Spearheading the formation of the Partnership for a Disability Friendly Community to improve the health and lives of people with disabilities
• Providing pediatric rehabilitation services to the community to ensure the needs of children and adolescents are met close to home
• Offering the transition to school program, which prepares pediatric patients with a smooth transition to the education setting by working hand-in-hand with educators and school systems 

CARF also recognized Good Shepherd for strengths in many areas, including: innovative practices to enhance communication; its assistive technology plan; an electronic surveillance program for infection control; the clinical nursing education department; and the Telespeech Program at Pocono Medical Center.

“I am extremely proud of our employees for their work in achieving these accreditations and accolades,” says Sally Gammon, MBA, FACHE, president and CEO, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network. “These accomplishments indicate their dedication to high standards in meeting our mission to improve the lives of our patients.”

CARF is an independent, non-profit accrediting organization founded in 1966 that establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.