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Swing bed program helps healing patients
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| Caring for you Case Manager Tina Smith, R.N., and Hospitalist Hisham Hamam, M.D., are ready to serve patients' needs in the Northern Cochise Community Hospital Swing Bed program. (Carol Broeder/ARN) |
By Carol Broeder/arizona range news
"For our patients, it's like a bridge from the hospital before they go home."
That's how Case Manager Tina Smith, R.N., describes the "swing bed" program at Northern Cochise Community Hospital.
"It gives the family time to adjust, and gives the patient time to adjust and heal," before returning to everyday life, she told the Range News.
This type of care, as described by Smith and Dr. Hisham Hamam, sounds very much like care a patient would receive at a rehab hospital in Tucson or Phoenix.
"Swing and rehab are basically the same thing," said Hamam, who is a hospitalist that is board certified in Internal Medicine.
"Patients are not getting any less care than any other facility in the country."
Swing bed is 24 hours skilled nursing care plus the benefit of rehabilitation therapies to help patients transition to a long-term care facility or to rehabilitate from surgery, illness, or accident.
"It is designed to achieve a good outcome for some type of injury, such as a broken hip, or an infection that requires long-term IV (antibiotic) therapy," said Hamam, adding, "So that the patient can get back to their activity of daily living."
The program's main purpose is to provide the necessary patient care "through a collaborative team approach, facilitating therapists and skilled nursing care using the 'case management plan of care,' for the optimal outcome for each patient," Smith said.
Whether that patient is admitted directly to NCCH or transferred from another facility, the case management department provides "interdiscplinary development of treatment plan and collaboration for the continuity of care," said Smith adding that means "seamless coordination and establishment of change of patient status to 'swing.'"
This interdisciplinary team consists of professionals who are directly involved with patient care.
That includes skilled nursing, social services, dietician, dental services, as well as physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapies.
Skilled nursing means 24-hour care, which includes continued wound care after recent surgery, IV therapy (antibiotics) for chronic infection, and patient education, Smith said.
Physical, occupational, and speech therapies are offered to patients that have had joint replacement or a recent stroke, thereby improving their level of capability, independence, and function, she said.
Respiratory therapy provides evaluation and treatment of patients "with compromised breathing or cardiopulmonary problems."
Licensed professionals are available for dental services; and registered dieticians offer counseling when the patient's treatment plan includes dietary changes.
Upon request, social services are available to address the complexity of social issues and for the coordination of meaningful activities.
Smith completes a "Comprehensive Social Service Admission Assessment," which identifies and monitors any psychosocial, mood and behavior needs.
This is done to "better provide patients and their families with social and emotional support services during the recovery process."
Smith also provides assistance in applying for and understanding a myriad of government programs, such as Medicare, ALTCS, SSI, Disability, and ACCCHS.
She also identifies and makes referrals for any services the patient will need at home, after being discharged.
NCCH also provides and promotes an activities program for swing bed patients to help keep them "motivated and stimulated during the healing process."
Smith performs a "comprehensive activities evaluation" to determine a patient's interests and needs."
The hospital has a fully stocked activities cart that offers a wide variety of activities daily.
Other activities can be arranged upon request, such as beauty/barber services; bingo; transportation to and from follow-up medical appointments, and day passes (with doctor's approval).
The hospital also provides a laundry service so that patients may wear their own clothes to be more comfortable.
As a case manager, Smith is an advocate for the patient, making referrals and communicating with insurance companies, as well as keeping the patient informed of clinical goals and plan for discharge.
She also coordinates and leads the weekly care conference, held on Wednesdays, with the healthcare team to develop, reassess and update the patient's plan of care, Smith said.
"Since families are an important part of the patient's plan of care, they are encouraged to participate in the 'patient care conference,'" said Smith.
"The family is 100-percent involved," Hamam told the Range News.
"We are blessed in this community to have families who are behind their loved ones. They are not afraid to ask, 'How is our loved one doing?'
Using the swing bed program "is a family decision and community driven," he said. "The patient's primary care physician makes decisions for their long-term care."
"We've had a lot of success," Hamam said. "We've had patients come in on a stretcher and ended up walking out of the hospital."
Smith used the example of a patient who has had a three-day acute stay in Tucson "and is then able to come back to the community."
"It's a community service," Hamam interjected. "It's very convenient for the patient and their loved ones."
"We work directly with their doctor in Tucson and with other subspecialties following the progress of the patients," he told the Range News. "The swing bed program is the bridge back to the primary care physician."
CEO Harley Smith wants the community to understand that the hospital is not trying to compete with the local hospice.
"We're not," he said. "It's totally different."
"We make sure that the level of care the patient needs meets the level of care facilities can provide," Tina Smith explained.
"We refer a patient to whatever facility meets their needs - be it a nursing home, assisted living, home, or hospice."
"We work with the families to do what they ask," she added.
NCCH began using the swing bed program more in conjunction with the advent of the hospitalist program, with round-the-clock physician's care.
Since July 1, there have been 400 admissions at NCCH, with only three or four expected deaths, said Hamam, adding that one terminal patient did not want hospice, but two others asked for hospice.
"The family dictates to us what they want," he said.
Harley Smith said that the swing bed program averages around seven or eight patients.
For further information on the NCCH swing bed program, contact Tina Smith at (520) 384-3541, ext. 325.
That's how Case Manager Tina Smith, R.N., describes the "swing bed" program at Northern Cochise Community Hospital.
"It gives the family time to adjust, and gives the patient time to adjust and heal," before returning to everyday life, she told the Range News.
This type of care, as described by Smith and Dr. Hisham Hamam, sounds very much like care a patient would receive at a rehab hospital in Tucson or Phoenix.
"Swing and rehab are basically the same thing," said Hamam, who is a hospitalist that is board certified in Internal Medicine.
"Patients are not getting any less care than any other facility in the country."
Swing bed is 24 hours skilled nursing care plus the benefit of rehabilitation therapies to help patients transition to a long-term care facility or to rehabilitate from surgery, illness, or accident.
"It is designed to achieve a good outcome for some type of injury, such as a broken hip, or an infection that requires long-term IV (antibiotic) therapy," said Hamam, adding, "So that the patient can get back to their activity of daily living."
The program's main purpose is to provide the necessary patient care "through a collaborative team approach, facilitating therapists and skilled nursing care using the 'case management plan of care,' for the optimal outcome for each patient," Smith said.
Whether that patient is admitted directly to NCCH or transferred from another facility, the case management department provides "interdiscplinary development of treatment plan and collaboration for the continuity of care," said Smith adding that means "seamless coordination and establishment of change of patient status to 'swing.'"
This interdisciplinary team consists of professionals who are directly involved with patient care.
That includes skilled nursing, social services, dietician, dental services, as well as physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapies.
Skilled nursing means 24-hour care, which includes continued wound care after recent surgery, IV therapy (antibiotics) for chronic infection, and patient education, Smith said.
Physical, occupational, and speech therapies are offered to patients that have had joint replacement or a recent stroke, thereby improving their level of capability, independence, and function, she said.
Respiratory therapy provides evaluation and treatment of patients "with compromised breathing or cardiopulmonary problems."
Licensed professionals are available for dental services; and registered dieticians offer counseling when the patient's treatment plan includes dietary changes.
Upon request, social services are available to address the complexity of social issues and for the coordination of meaningful activities.
Smith completes a "Comprehensive Social Service Admission Assessment," which identifies and monitors any psychosocial, mood and behavior needs.
This is done to "better provide patients and their families with social and emotional support services during the recovery process."
Smith also provides assistance in applying for and understanding a myriad of government programs, such as Medicare, ALTCS, SSI, Disability, and ACCCHS.
She also identifies and makes referrals for any services the patient will need at home, after being discharged.
NCCH also provides and promotes an activities program for swing bed patients to help keep them "motivated and stimulated during the healing process."
Smith performs a "comprehensive activities evaluation" to determine a patient's interests and needs."
The hospital has a fully stocked activities cart that offers a wide variety of activities daily.
Other activities can be arranged upon request, such as beauty/barber services; bingo; transportation to and from follow-up medical appointments, and day passes (with doctor's approval).
The hospital also provides a laundry service so that patients may wear their own clothes to be more comfortable.
As a case manager, Smith is an advocate for the patient, making referrals and communicating with insurance companies, as well as keeping the patient informed of clinical goals and plan for discharge.
She also coordinates and leads the weekly care conference, held on Wednesdays, with the healthcare team to develop, reassess and update the patient's plan of care, Smith said.
"Since families are an important part of the patient's plan of care, they are encouraged to participate in the 'patient care conference,'" said Smith.
"The family is 100-percent involved," Hamam told the Range News.
"We are blessed in this community to have families who are behind their loved ones. They are not afraid to ask, 'How is our loved one doing?'
Using the swing bed program "is a family decision and community driven," he said. "The patient's primary care physician makes decisions for their long-term care."
"We've had a lot of success," Hamam said. "We've had patients come in on a stretcher and ended up walking out of the hospital."
Smith used the example of a patient who has had a three-day acute stay in Tucson "and is then able to come back to the community."
"It's a community service," Hamam interjected. "It's very convenient for the patient and their loved ones."
"We work directly with their doctor in Tucson and with other subspecialties following the progress of the patients," he told the Range News. "The swing bed program is the bridge back to the primary care physician."
CEO Harley Smith wants the community to understand that the hospital is not trying to compete with the local hospice.
"We're not," he said. "It's totally different."
"We make sure that the level of care the patient needs meets the level of care facilities can provide," Tina Smith explained.
"We refer a patient to whatever facility meets their needs - be it a nursing home, assisted living, home, or hospice."
"We work with the families to do what they ask," she added.
NCCH began using the swing bed program more in conjunction with the advent of the hospitalist program, with round-the-clock physician's care.
Since July 1, there have been 400 admissions at NCCH, with only three or four expected deaths, said Hamam, adding that one terminal patient did not want hospice, but two others asked for hospice.
"The family dictates to us what they want," he said.
Harley Smith said that the swing bed program averages around seven or eight patients.
For further information on the NCCH swing bed program, contact Tina Smith at (520) 384-3541, ext. 325.
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