1200 North 7th Street, Chariton, Iowa 50049
Phone: (641) 774-3225 | Email: ckoffman@lchcia.com
You’ve been in the hospital and it’s time to begin the journey home. No matter where you had your hospital stay for surgery, stroke, or other illness, LCHC’s Skilled Care is available to help you regain your previous health and to help assist you with a safe transition back to home. The Skilled Care Team at LCHC works closely with physicians to offer a safe, monitored environment for patients. In private, home-like rooms, you will receive individualized attention and care plans that include medication and nutritional consultation as well as physical, occupational, speech or other therapies.
Rooms are equipped with sleeping accommodations to allow a loved one to stay with you. Plus there is ample room for visitors when you feel up to having company. If hospitalized elsewhere, speak with your discharge planner or social worker helping with your hospital discharge and ask them to contact LCHC to discuss the option of receiving your skilled care closer to home.
What is Skilled Care?
Skilled care, or swing bed care, is a “step down” from the care patients receive during hospitalization for illness or surgery. Patients may quality for skilled care services if they are recovering, but are still in need of care such as IV treatments, or physical, occupational, or speech therapy.
Successful skilled care patients are active in their treatment and rehabilitation therapies. Progress must be demonstrated toward health-related goals in order for patients to continue to meet mandated qualifications for skilled care.
Each patient receives an individual evaluation on admission day by the LCHC multi-disciplined Skilled Care Team. Rehabilitation is provided on weekdays by our therapists. Nursing staff continues to work with patients through the weekend.
Qualifying for Skilled Care
An individual evaluation of your health determines if your medical condition warrants skilled care. In order for a Medicare patient to qualify, he or she must meet Medicare mandated guidelines, one of which is that the patient must have completed a three-night acute care hospital stay within the 30-day period immediately prior to the skilled nursing stay.
Patients covered under commercial insurance plans may also have specific conditions of qualification mandated by their insurance companies. LCHC recommends that each patient gets prior approval of coverage from his or her insurance company before beginning a skilled care stay.
