Day to day operation of the CORF is overseen by a facility administrator who is responsible for overall management, as well as implementation and enforcement of facility policy and procedure. The administrator bears responsibility for all staff and personnel providing facility services, and typically has a background in health care administration, including an appropriate degree as well as related clinical experience, such as nursing, PT, or OT. Actual medical procedures, treatment plans, and hands-on health care provision is overseen and supervised by the facility Medical Director. Facility operating days and hours are set by the administrator and may be changed as situations and demand warrants. There are no regulations concerning facility name, but names such as “Newark Rehabilitation Services” or “Outpatient Therapy Center of Brookville” works better than “Newark CORF.”  You may know what CORF stands for, but very few other do.

 Medical Director: An accredited MD or DO with a minimum of one year of training in the medical management of rehabilitation patients, and at least one additional year of full or part-time experience in a rehabilitation setting. Medicare conditions of participation require the physician to be on facility premises for the time needed to supervise and provide medical care, direction, consultation, and coordination of the requisite plan of treatment for referred patients. The director will assist in establishment of the facility patient care policies, and participate in patient review, assessment, treatment plan supervision, and facility utilization review activities. The Medical Directors employment relationship with the facility should be that of an independent outside service provider and not as an employee. Payment for services provided can be negotiated based on projected hours needed for file and paperwork review and oversight. CORF patients can only receive treatment based on an MDs written prescription for care. The Medical Director may perform an initial evaluative exam for the purpose of corroborating the validity of the prescription for care. A separate office area is required for the Medical Director so that evaluative and follow up exams can be performed in private. Co-Medical Director positions are allowed as well, giving a facility the ability to have the involvement of more than one qualified MD/DO as members of the facility review and advisory panel.   

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