RESPITE CARE & SWING BED

A CONTINUUM OF CARE

For those families caring for an elderly or disabled relative, The Richland Hospital, Inc. offers the availability of temporary care to persons needing supervised, short-term personalized care so that regular caregivers can take a break. These services are through prior arrangement only by contacting either the Social Worker or Clinical Coordinator. A pre-admission nursing assessment for the purpose of determining level of care and appropriateness for respite services must be done prior to your arrival at the hospital.

SWING BED PROGRAM

At The Richland Hospital, Inc., we understand there are times when a patient no longer needs the acute care they first received in the hospital – yet they may not feel strong enough to return home. For those patients, we offer our Swing Bed Program. After surgery and hospitalization, patients often transfer from the hospital into a nursing or rehab facility to help improve their physical functioning. We can “swing” you from post-operative and acute care into skilled-nursing, including physical rehabilitation and monitoring of your improvement. Even if your stay was at another hospital, you can transfer following discharge to receive Swing Bed Care here at The Richland Hospital, near your family. Our Swing Bed Program is a federally-approved program that allows small hospitals, like ours, to use regular patient rooms to provide this special care. Due to our commitment to meeting the needs of all our patients, space and bed limitations will affect the number and type of Swing Beds available at any given time. Examples of skilled care may include: IV Therapy, Skin and Wound Care, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, or Pain Management.

Qualifications for Swing Bed

You’ll find that Medicare and most insurance companies cover Swing Bed programs. These services are usually covered under the “Skilled Nursing Facility” benefit category. There are specific criteria that patients must meet to qualify for the program.

• Swing Bed care must be related to an acute hospital stay
• The doctor has determined a need for daily skilled care
• The patient is willing to participate in the daily skilled care program
• A patient must be hospitalized as an “Acute Care Inpatient” (not an “Observation Patient”) for a minimum of three consecutive midnights within the last 30 days
• Admissions can come from any hospital, including our hospital, after three consecutive midnights as an inpatient in acute care
• The patient has Medicare Part A or other insurance with hospital based, skilled-care benefits and days available for skilled level of care.

Medicare will cover up to 20 days in full and up to one hundred (100) days with co-payment, as long as the Medicare criteria is met. Medicare supplements will usually pay the deductible as long as Medicare continues coverage. Your individual coverage will depend on how long you meet the criteria. The average length of a Swing Bed stay is 1-2 weeks. Due to our commitment to meeting the needs of all our patients, space and bed limitations will affect the number and type of Swing Beds available at any given time.

Patient Services

Our focus is on improving your functional, nutritional, and medical condition. During your stay our multidisciplinary team will collaborate with you to create a Discharge Plan and set functional and health status goals. This plan can include additional care options such as the following (this list is not meant to be all inclusive):

• Home Health Care
• Nursing Home Rehabilitation
• Home Delivered Meals
• Housekeeping Services
• Assisted Living Care
• Home Medical Equipment
• Outpatient Therapy
• Other Community Services

Care Conference

A care conference will be planned with you after your admission. The purpose of the conference is to:

• Discuss the current plan of care
• Establish goals
• Discuss Discharge Plan
• Discuss ways we can help you achieve these goals during your stay

The Care Conference may include the Patient, Support Persons, a Nurse, Social Worker, Dietitian, Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist, Utilization Review, your Physician, and others involved in your care. The Care Conference is usually held in the patient’s room.

The Conclusion

Reflecting on community progress showed a notable increase in the variety of programs and community responses in all three areas. By prioritizing, groups could focus their energies on addressing different aspects of their concerns and improve outcomes. The conclusion? The best way to make progress in Richland County is to continue to wholeheartedly support community coalitions in their work on Mental Health Treatment, Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment, and Obesity Prevention & Treatment. By doing so, a better future for the Richland community will be assured.

FAQ’s

CARE: Our team is focused on helping you gain your independence. As a Swing Bed patient, you’ll be encouraged to do as much as you can for yourself.

DOCTORS VISITS: The doctor will visit you each week or when a need arises. Your physician will bill you directly for those visits.

CLOTHING: We expect you to wear your own clothes and we ask that family members provide personal laundry service.

PERSONAL ITEMS: You may furnish your own personal items. Small items may be brought from home for your comfort. Hospital Staff will check all electrical items brought in for safety.

ACTIVITIES: We expect you to take part in a variety of daily activities to enhance and help you achieve your independence. You will be given an activities calendar and a list of available activities upon admission to the program. If there are other activities that you enjoy, they may be brought in from home. Please talk with a member of your care team before you bring them in.

MEALS: Optimal nutrition is important in recovery and continued good health. Meals will be similar to those you received during your acute care stay. The dietitian will work with you and your doctor to design a meal plan based on your needs and your food preferences. Swing Bed patients are encouraged to take meals together outside of their rooms.

PATIENTS VALUABLES: Personal money or valuables may be deposited in the hospital Business Office. It will be recorded for you and a receipt will be provided.

TEMPORARY LEAVES: It may be possible to leave the hospital for a few hours. Please contact a member of your care team; He or she will talk with your physician about a pass.

FAMILY/PATIENT SERVICES: A Social Worker will visit regularly to assist you if you are experiencing any difficulties with financial, emotional or social problems. They will also assist you in setting up appropriate services for discharge.

SPIRITUAL SUPPORT: A Chaplain visits the hospital Monday through Friday. If you would like to talk with a Chaplain, please let nursing staff know. In addition, your Spiritual Support person may visit you anytime during your stay. A schedule of televised church services is included with your activities calendar.

Restrictions and Liabilities

Our expert care team works with you and your doctor to create a unique, multi-disciplinary treatment plan. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask a member of your care team. Nutrition is a very important part of your healing process. Before having food brought in, please talk with a member of your care team.All medications or treatments must be ordered by your physician. Our on-staff pharmacists will work with your physician to assure your medication needs are met. Please do not bring medications into the Hospital unless you are instructed to do so.

The Richland Hospital, Inc. shall not be responsible for any money, valuables, or personal items brought in to the hospital by you, your relatives or friends. Removal of your personal items at the time of discharge will be your responsibility.

Statement of Patient Rights and Responsibilities

We present the following patient rights and responsibilities as the policy of our Hospital Swing Bed Program. The Richland Hospital, Inc. has many functions to perform, and above all, we recognize your dignity as a human being and right of self determination.

Swing Bed Patient Rights

As a patient of the Swing Bed Program at The Richland Hospital, Inc. we affirm your right:

• To be fully informed prior to or at the time of admission and during your stay, of services available in the facility and of related charges, including any charges for services not covered under Medicare, or not covered by the facility’s basic daily rate.
• To select a personal physician or other healthcare services provided at The Richland Hospital, Inc. – or allow the hospital to make appropriate appointments. Your personal physician must have practice privileges at The Richland Hospital, Inc.
• To be fully informed of your medical condition, participate in care planning and make choices about your treatment.
• To create an Advance Directive such as a Power of Attorney for Healthcare that directs life sustaining treatment decisions.
• To be transferred or discharged, only for a medical reason, or your welfare or that of other patients, or for nonpayment of your stay (except as prohibited by Medicare and Medicaid).
• To be given reasonable advance notice to ensure your orderly transfer or discharge so you may make your wishes known and participate in the planning of your move.
• To be encouraged and assisted to exercise your rights as a resident and as a citizen and to voice grievances and recommend changes in policies and services to – facility staff, or outside representatives of your choice without restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal.
• To manage your personal financial affairs free from interference.
• To be free from mental, physical and chemical abuse.
• To have real or alleged abuse reported immediately to administration in a manner consistent with regulations. The hospital complies with laws and regulations regarding preemployment verification of convictions for abuse, neglect or mistreatment.
• To be free from any physical restraint, unless authorized, in writing by a physician, for a specified and limited period of time. Soft restraints will be used only to protect you from injury to yourself or others.
• To be assured confidential treatment of your personal and medical records and approve or refuse their release to any individual outside of the facility – except as required by law or a third party payment contract.
• To be treated with consideration, respect and full recognition of your dignity and individuality, including privacy in treatment and in care of your personal needs.
• To not be required to perform services for the hospital that are not included for therapeutic purposes in your plan of care.
• To associate and communicate privately with persons of your choice and send or receive your personal mail unopened – unless it is documented in your medical record, by your physician that it is not medically indicated.
• To retain and use your personal clothing and possessions as space permits – unless to do so would infringe upon the rights of other patients, and would be medically contraindicated – as documented in your medical record by your physician.
• To be assured privacy for visits by your spouse. If both are patients of the Swing Bed Program, you will be permitted to share a room – unless documented in your record as medically contraindicated.
• To have a right to physical and emotional privacy in treatment, living arrangements and in caring for personal needs.
• To refuse to participate in experimental research.
• To be allowed unrestricted communications with public officials and attorneys.
• To be allowed privacy for visits with family, friends, clergy or social workers.
• To have reasonable access to telephones to make and receive confidential calls.
• To have the right to access transportation services. Social Services can assist with coordinating transportation. These services may not be covered by your insurance.
• To have personal access or to receive a copy of your health care record, My.richlandhospital.com is an easy way for you or your loved ones to access your healthcare information online anytime. For more information about accessing your personal health information, talk with a member of your care team.

At your request, your physician will explain your health record to you. You may receive a copy of your x-ray reports or have your x-rays referred to another health care provider of your choice – upon payment of reasonable costs.

Swing Bed Patient Responsibilities

• To provide, to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete information about present illness, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, mobility and other matters relating to your health.
• To report unexpected changes in your condition to the Health Care Team.
• To make it known whether you clearly understand your plan of care or need further explanation.
• To actively participate in your plan of care. Refusal of treatments or therapies may result in discharge from Swing Bed.
• To assure that the financial obligations of your health care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
• To follow hospital rules and regulations affecting your care and conduct.
• To be considerate of the rights of other patients and facility personnel.
• To be respectful of the property of other persons and of the hospital.
• To follow The Richland Hospitals’ smoke free campus policy.