What is the Swing Bed Program?
If you experience an injury or an illness that requires hospitalization, you might require skilled nursing care after your initial treatment ends to continue your recovery. This skilled nursing care may include anything from speech therapy to wound care.
Rather than drive from place to place for all of these different appointments, a Swing Bed Program allows you to stay in the same hospital you received acute care treatment in. This way, you can get the care you need in a convenient and familiar setting. Our goal is to make sure you recover and are returned to health as soon as possible, so you can get back to living your life!
Recover Closer To Home
Our multidisciplinary healthcare team is here to help you recover faster in a comfortable, close-to-home setting. Our swing bed program has a high nurse-to-patient ratio, meaning you get the best and most attentive care possible! The Swing Bed Program includes board certified physicians, highly qualified nurses, dietitians, social workers, clinically trained pharmacists, and a full spectrum of rehabilitative services teams. Here are some examples of what services we can provide:
- Discharge Planning Services
- In-House Imaging Department
- In-House Pharmacy
- IV Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Speech Therapy
- Specialized Wound Care
- 24-Hour Emergency Department Services
- 24-Hour Availability of Doctors and Nursing Staff
Who Qualifies for the Swing Bed Program?
Medicare and most insurance companies provide coverage for post-acute rehabilitative services. These services are generally covered under the “Skilled Nursing Facility” benefits category. The following are patient eligibility guidelines provided by Medicare and the state of Idaho.
- A patient must be hospitalized as an “Acute Care Inpatient” (not “Observation Patient”) for a minimum of three consecutive midnights within a 30-day period.
- Admissions may come from any hospital, including our hospital, after three consecutive midnights as an inpatient in acute care.
- A patient must require either Skilled Nursing Care or Skilled Therapy Services as part of their recovery program.
We recommend that you contact your insurance carrier or medical case worker for specific coverage details before you make any healthcare decisions.
Who Can Benefit from the Swing Bed Program?
There are many reasons why someone might need long term skilled nursing care. These are just a few of the most common reasons that a patient might seek admission to a Swing Bed Program.
- Patients recovering from orthopedic surgeries, such as a joint replacement, who need port-operative rehabilitation or therapy.
- Patients recovering from a stroke and who do not qualify for admission to an inpatient rehabilitation center.
- Patients who need to regain their strength and mobility following a surgery, injury, or illness.
- Patients receiving IV therapy or wound care services.
- Patients who need assistance with diabetic management services.
- Patients who are recovering from COVID-19
Minidoka Memorial Hospital accepts patients from outside facilities. Please contact our Discharge Planning Office to review an initial referral at 208-436-8134
Swing Bed Happenings
