The Continuing Care Program at Parkview LaGrange Hospital, led by Vijay Kamineni, MD, swing bed program director, is a swing bed program that provides essential transitional care for patients in need of additional therapy before they can safely return home after an acute hospital stay.
What exactly does "swing bed" mean?
The term "swing bed" describes transitioning from one patient status to another. The physical bed itself does not change. The patient may remain in the same hospital room, but their paperwork and designation change from inpatient acute stay to the Continuing Care Program, Parkview’s swing bed service. This shift allows for continued care and rehabilitation without moving the patient to a different location.
Who qualifies for the Continuing Care program?
Patients typically receive recommendations from their providers during their acute hospital stay to enter the Continuing Care program, although they can also self-advocate. Patients also do not have to have been at a Parkview hospital before being admitted to the program.
To participate, patients must have a medical necessity, meaning individuals must qualify for one or two therapy modes. For instance, someone living with complex medical conditions that cause debility or weakness at home may be admitted to the hospital for an acute stay to treat an infection or to have surgery. Once the patient's procedure is complete or their illness is treated, they may experience lingering side effects, such as additional weakness, as they recover. We can qualify them for swing bed care per insurance requirements in these cases. Depending on the patient's initial diagnosis, a swing bed stay, on average, lasts one to two weeks.
What therapies are offered to patients who are part of the Continuing Care program?
Patients enrolled in the program receive care from a registered nurse with physician oversight. Depending on their condition, they may also receive physical, occupational or speech therapy. In addition to a team of healthcare providers, patients are assigned a case manager to evaluate the patient's living situation to ensure they are set up for success when transitioning home. Physical therapists may also make home visits to guarantee that the patient's therapy is geared toward living in that environment.
How does the Continuing Care program enhance patient recovery compared to immediate discharge?
Our patients are often in their seventies and eighties. If they've had knee surgery, they may be returning home and doing many things on their own. They may have to go to outpatient therapy appointments or receive home health care.
In the swing bed program, all of their medical care takes place in the same location at a hospital level. They still receive full nursing care, and the doctors are onsite. We are required to see them once a week, but because these patients are experiencing complex medical issues, we may see them every other day. Additionally, their therapy is provided onsite with all the equipment available at the hospital. This not only makes for a convenient experience for the patient, but it also helps continuity of care. Through this program, the doctor who admits them as acute stay patients also follows them throughout their recovery.
What sets the Continuing Care program at Parkview apart from nursing home care?
The Continuing Care program is very similar to a nursing home stay. From my personal experience, having worked in nursing homes and at Parkview as the swing bed director, I think swing bed patients receive more intense therapy. In the hospital setting, if there is any worsening in the patient's condition, it's caught early, and we treat it aggressively with the hope of preventing regression.
Patients in nursing homes have access to the same services, but they're usually only seen by a physician once a week, and the patient-to-nurse ratio is higher. Additionally, for patients participating in the Continuing Care program, if we want to draw labs, all we have to do is order them, and a lab technician comes to the patient to do that. Similarly, if a patient needs an X-ray, it can be done right then. In a nursing home, the labs may take a day to be drawn, or the patient may need to travel to a hospital for an X-ray.
How are patients prepared for discharge from the Continuing Care program?
When patients are admitted to the Continuing Care program, they have a multidisciplinary meeting with their care team once a week to discuss their progress. We also invite the families to join that discussion and talk about what transitioning home looks like for them. This can include specifics like how many steps the patient needs to take to enter their home and reach their bedroom and any potential obstacles they may encounter outside the program.
All of this is taken into account, and then, with the guidance of the physical therapists and case managers, the patient and family work towards setting up the home for re-entry. This meeting helps the care team determine what services the patient may need following their release or prescriptions for durable medical equipment, such as a ramp, grab bars or a shower chair.
Upon discharge, patients can choose between outpatient therapy and home health care. Some prefer outpatient therapy so they can return to the hospital or their local physical therapy provider. The case manager also ensures follow-up appointments are scheduled with the primary care physician for a seamless transfer to outpatient care.
Learn more
If you’re concerned that you may not be ready to return home right away following a surgery, procedure or hospital stay, talk to a member of your care team about the Continuing Care Program. Or, contact Parkview LaGrange Hospital’s case manager team at (260) 463-9279 to determine whether the program is right for you.
Our dedicated team is here to provide the support and guidance you need for a smooth transition from hospital to home.
