Lawrence Rehab Hospital Launches Stroke Recovery Program

Lawrence Rehabilitation Hospital in Lawrence Twp. has launched a Stroke Recovery Program, one of the first specialized subacute care offerings of its kind for the region. In tandem, the center became one of the first in the nation to earn the Skilled Nursing Facility Stroke Rehabilitation Certification offered by the American Heart Association®, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all.

Located on the 40-acre Lawrence healthcare campus, Lawrence Rehab Hospital provides acute and subacute physical rehabilitation services and programs on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. “Lawrence Rehab Hospital’s Stroke Recovery program – designed to meet the American Heart Association’s evidence-based standards of care for stroke survivors – reflects its commitment to transformative skilled nursing services,” said Christina Albano, regional director of market development for Marquis Health Consulting Services, which supports Lawrence.

Lawrence Rehab Hospital’s stroke rehabilitation services are tailored to meet the specific needs and goals of an individual, dependent on how they have been impacted by a stroke. Under the direction of Neurologist James A. Ware, MD, the program aims to help restore physical function, gain strength and endurance, improve balance and mobility, manage pain and spasticity, overcome speech and communication deficits, and develop new cognitive strategies.

Dr. Ware, who has been in practice for more than 20 years, is well respected for his medical expertise. He is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the region, including Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton, Capital Health Medical Center-Hopewell and CentraState Medical Center, where he is the medical director of its Primary Stroke Center.

Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the U.S., and approximately 795,000 people each year experience a new or recurrent stroke, according to the American Heart Association’s 2024 statistical update. This certification provides a framework for evaluating skilled nursing facilities against rigorous science-based requirements for stroke rehabilitation, including program management, patient and caregiver education and support, care coordination, clinical management and quality improvement.

“When there are evidence-based processes during every phase of care, patients have the best opportunity for positive outcomes,” said Pamela Duncan, PhD, PT, FAPTA, FAHA, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association’s Skilled Nursing Facility Stroke Rehabilitation Certification Oversight Workgroup. “Participation in this certification benefits the patient and the facility by standardizing care, helping patients and their loved ones choose a facility that follows important best practices.”

The Association’s certification ensures stroke rehabilitation care is coordinated from pre-admission through discharge. “At Lawrence Rehab Hospital, the team is committed to employing the most innovative care for its patients recovering from stroke,” Albano added. “With the certification, the American Heart Association has armed the center with additional tools and recognized its success.”

Lawrence Rehab Hospital has an established reputation for quality care and services; it maintains a Five-Star Quality Measures Rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Lawrence campus also includes skilled nursing at The Meadows at Lawrence and Lawrence Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, and assisted living at The Terraces at Lawrence.

Brick, N.J.-based Marquis Health Consulting Services provides administrative consulting services to skilled nursing facilities and senior living communities along the Eastern Seaboard. The company’s “Care, Anew” philosophy supports its mission to help clients transform industry processes, mindsets and outcomes. Marquis-serviced skilled nursing centers have access to an evolving suite of clinician-led specialty care models, signature services and comfort features – enabling innovation, compassion and purpose in every aspect of care.