CARF: What It Is & Why It Matters for Rehabilitation Care

The Gold Standard

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services, and MetroHealth is among the top rehabilitative hospitals in the nation—and around the world—that have distinguished their level of care with CARF accreditation.

“CARF accreditation means we meet the highest standards of care, patient experience and operations,” says Matthew Nelson, MN, RN, DPT, PT, CNML, Director of Nursing, Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Operations. “CARF is the gold standard, not just in the U.S., but internationally, so achieving this accreditation shows that our facility can care for the most complex challenges while achieving the most promising outcomes.”

And for patients, that is everything.

“Choosing a CARF-accredited facility means you have the assurance that you can come and receive the highest level of care from physicians, therapists and nurses,” says Nelson. “CARF saves patients and families the legwork and research because facilities with this accreditation have already been heavily vetted.”

Nelson says the CARF surveyors who evaluate a facility for accreditation also work in rehabilitative care and assess each institution comprehensively. In addition to evaluating how care is delivered at the bedside—or therapy gym—CARF evaluators also do a deep dive into everything in the facility that supports and impacts care.

"The accreditation process includes the evaluation of every facet of rehabilitation care and operations," says Nelson. “This includes quality improvement, health and safety, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, financial performance, environment of care, leadership, workforce development and education, legal, compliance, emergency management, risk management and technology.”

Returning to Work

In addition to CARF accreditation for inpatient rehabilitation (children/adolescents and adults), the MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute also received CARF accreditation for its Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation services.

“Vocational rehabilitation is often sought after as a patient is nearing the end of their rehabilitation program,” says Meggan Few, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. “It is important to hold ourselves to high standards as we best serve these patients, and CARF provides us with a framework to achieve this level of care.”

As northeast Ohio’s only hospital-based CARF-accredited Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation Program, MetroHealth assists patients with the transition from rehabilitation to daily life. Counselors connect patients with:

• Basic needs such as medical equipment, housing, rent, food, utilities and transportation
• Assistance with applying for Social Security and job and other entitlement benefits
• Making referrals to financial counseling programs
• Connecting patients to mental health services, substance abuse programs, wellness services, childcare and legal assistance
• Returning to work, either in a job previously held or in a new career path altogether

Insurers Value CARF, Too

Another bonus for patients is that many insurers and payors require a CARF-accredited facility for reimbursement. So, making sure the facility you choose for rehabilitative care is CARF-accredited could save you time, effort and money.

“CARF is also an important financial consideration for those choosing a facility,” says Nelson. “We’d seek accreditation even if not required by payors because it is a solid indicator of the quality of services. CARF accreditation gives patients and families confidence and peace of mind that they’re in the right place for rehabilitation care where they have the best opportunity to get back to what matters most in their daily lives.”