Inpatient Admissions Process and Criteria

Inpatient Admissions/Referral Process

There are four key steps to Craig’s inpatient admission process.

1. Submit a referral: Inpatient admission referrals to Craig Hospital need to come directly from the acute care hospital where the patient is located. The hospital case manager/social worker will call 303-789-8344 to discuss a referral and fax medical records and insurance information to 720-599-3990. Patients, families, physicians, insurance carriers/claims adjusters, case managers and physicians are encouraged to ask the case manager to make the referral. Your referral will be evaluated by our team of experts. Early referrals are encouraged to avoid unnecessary delays.
2. Verify benefits: Craig will call the insurance carrier to verify the patient’s benefits and to learn if Craig is in network.
3. Arrange a visit: For qualified referrals, Craig will arrange with the referring hospital an on-site visit with one of our clinical liaisons to answer any questions patients and families might have about Craig’s programs.
4. Get approved: Following the on-site liaison visit, each candidate is discussed by Craig physicians and team. If approved, the liaison and referring case manager will discuss the date of transfer to Craig, and the mode of transportation. Family tours are encouraged.
   For a selection of pre-admission materials and information about Craig Hospital that you can save to your device for viewing or printing, visit our downloads page.

You may also use the Admissions Inquiry Form as a first step to inquire about having a patient evaluated for admission to Craig. This form can be used by case managers, physicians and family members and will start an admissions inquiry with Craig Hospital Admissions staff to begin the process of determining if a patient is appropriate for Craig Hospital’s SCI and/or BI neurorehabilitation programs.

For a selection of pre-admission materials and information about Craig Hospital that you can save to your device for viewing or printing, visit our downloads page.

Inpatient Admissions Criteria

Craig treats patients with spinal cord injury, brain injury, or related neurological disorders. Craig does not discriminate admissions on the basis of gender, race, religion, national origin or culture, or sexual orientation.

All admission decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by the Craig physicians and the Admissions Director. Admission is based on diagnosis, medical condition, rehabilitation goals, funding requirements, and disposition at discharge.

Craig’s programs are designed for adult patients, 16 years of age or older, and on some occasions there are exceptions for 15 year-old patients which require Medical Director approval. Craig has a specialized program for teens. Craig accepts patients with spinal cord injury on ventilators, and has a long history of ventilator weaning and management expertise and experience.

General Criteria For Admission

To learn more about whether you’d be a good candidate for admission to Craig, take a look at our admissions criteria.

• We treat spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, or related neurological disorders.
• We don’t discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, national origin, culture, or sexual orientation.
• Our programs are designed for adult patients, ages 16 and older. There are some exceptions for 15-year-old patient admittance which require a Medical Director’s approval.
• Our program for teens is specialized and adjusted for adolescent needs.
• We have a long history of ventilator weaning and management experience and provide expertise for patients with spinal cord injury on ventilators.

We’re Here To Help

Approximately 425 patients and families from more than 40 states choose Craig each year for their specialty rehabilitation, so we are very experienced with helping families and case managers problem-solve the sometimes challenging issues of travel, air ambulance costs, family housing, child care needs, and others. Let us know how we can be of help.

Alexandra Sharp, Director of Admissions

Alex Sharp, RN, BSN, CNRN, is the Director of Admissions at Craig Hospital. Previously she was a clinical nurse liaison and evaluated patients throughout the United States for admission to Craig. Prior to becoming a liaison, Alex was a nurse on the spinal cord injury floor at Craig Hospital. She has also worked with patients with other chronic neurological conditions and is a Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse.