Grant Application

Charlene Subrick, PT, UPMC Mercy Rehab

Proposed Innovation

Gone Fishing is an innovative community re-entry program created in 2017 to help hospitalized patients practice skills learned during inpatient rehabilitation at UPMC Mercy. The enormously successful program takes patients and their caregivers fishing on the shores of the Allegheny River to fish under the watchful eyes of therapists, nursing staff, and other members of their medical team.

Phase 2 of the program is designed to expand the program to inpatient rehabilitation units at six hospitals: UPMC St. Margaret, UPMC East, UPMC Montefiore, UPMC Passavant, UPMC Jameson, and UPMC Northwest.

Improvements in Action

Funds will be used to purchase adaptive fishing equipment and supplies, along with carts, coolers, umbrellas, life vests, staff safety shirts, and ponchos. The therapy, nursing, and medical staffs at the other six hospital rehabilitation units will be able to start their own in-house program after undergoing training with the current “Gone Fishing” staff who also will supervise and assist on trips.

Intended Outcomes

As demonstrated in the initial phase of the program, being able to return to an acceptable lifestyle and participate in both domestic and leisure activities can have a big impact on a patient’s perceived quality of life. Expanding this program will enable more rehab patients to participate in a fishing outing. The benefits include an increase in self-confidence and independence as they learn to navigate in the community and a return to leisure activities following their inpatient rehabilitation stay.