Swing Bed
Bridging acute care and home, the Transitional Care Program at Plains Memorial Hospital is your convenient choice for seamless healthcare.
For patients who are not ready to go home following a hospital stay, the Transitional Care Program offers compassionate extended care in a hospital environment so patients can make a smoother transition back to their lives.
Traditionally called a swing bed program, With this program, a hospital can “swing” a patient’s level of care from acute to skilled rehabilitation. If acute care is needed again, the patient can be “swung” back, meaning there is no need to change facilities.
This program is also an option for patients who would otherwise be discharged to a nursing home when they only need care for a few more days or weeks. The patient stays in the same bed and receives the same care, but the services are billed differently.
How do I qualify under Medicare?
A patient must need some form of skilled nursing or skilled rehabilitation service that can only be provided in a skilled nursing facility. Examples of skilled care include:
- IV therapy
- Sterile dressing changes
- Skin/wound care
- Palliative care/end of life care
- Rehabilitation services:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Respiratory therapy
How can I receive Transitional Care?
Once your healthcare provider determines that skilled care is needed, a referral will be made to the Transitional Care coordinator at Plains Memorial Hospital. Arrangements with your provider will then be made for admission into the program along with authorization from your Medicare or Medicare Advantage Plan.
Questions or Comments?
If you have any questions or comments about transitional care, please call 806-647-8740.