Specialty Care Services
What Is Specialty Care?
When someone's medical condition is stable after a hospital stay, yet they need additional time to recuperate, Specialty Care might be their best option for continued treatment. Our Specialty Care Program is available at most of our Skilled Nursing Centers, providing intensive treatment for patients who require Specialty Care in the following areas:
Specialty Care is intended to be a short-term path to recovery. Our Specialty Care programs utilize a very goal-oriented approach. For each patient, an individual treatment program is developed. Our experienced physicians, nurses, and rehabilitation therapists work to bring each patient to his or her own predetermined treatment goals.
Because of our comprehensive range of services, a patient whose treatment goals have been met can often be transferred directly to a regular room at the Skilled Nursing Center, Assisted Living Center, or other appropriate lower level of care — often located right on the same premises!
Where Can I Find a Specialty Care Program?
In selecting Specialty Care, the patient's particular needs must be kept in mind. We offer various types of Specialty Care. Click on Skilled Nursing Centers for a listing of facilities that provide the Specialty Care you are seeking.
How Can Someone Receive Specialty Care at a Skilled Nursing Center?
When an attending physician at the hospital determines that a patient is a candidate for Specialty Care, the social worker will then provide a list of licensed facilities in the desired area that offer the appropriate type of Specialty Care. Sometimes a family member or close friend will seek out care for a loved one. They may contact one of our Skilled Nursing Centers directly. Our staff will be happy to address any concerns, schedule a visit, and arrange for a pre-admission screening.
Methods of Payment
Methods of payment will be discussed during the pre-admission evaluation at the hospital, so that each patient is fully informed of costs before admission. Payment may be made by Medicare or Medicaid. Most other insurance plans also participate with this level of care and assist with payment when all criteria for admission are met.
Our Specialty Care is approved by several HMO and PPO managed care plans.
We are participating providers for the following insurance companies:
We will provide insurance verification prior to admission, so that the patient's family will have fewer worries about costs.
Why Choose Us for Specialty Care?
Our people make our healthcare services and facilities exceptional!
While the size of staff varies with the number of patients and their needs, each of our facilities strives for a very high staff-to-patient ratio — higher than those mandated by the State of Pennsylvania. We provide staffing based on patient acuity levels.
Not only do we typically employ more caregivers, but we employ those who care more — competent professionals who exhibit attitudes of caring and compassion. We value our employees and strive to retain the best. Staff credentials and training are matched to patient needs and acuity levels at each facility. For instance, a nurse who receives our specialized training for Ventilator Care will be assigned to a facility that offers that specialty. The stability of our staff means that patients and staff get to know each other. This means improved efficiency and patient comfort.
Ongoing training programs include: training on the use of new equipment, respiratory therapy training, and specialized training by our own registered pharmacists and speech, occupational, and physical therapists. All of our RNs and LPNs must be certified in-house on the proper use of IVs. In addition, our Quality Assurance Department conducts training sessions in such areas as hydration, fall prevention, pressure wound prevention, and accident prevention.
Our Quality Assurance Program has a twofold philosophy:
- Use the latest and most appropriate medical techniques — including our Wound Care Program, Specialty Care, and Rehabilitation Therapies — to improve patient outcomes.
- Provide for the patient's day-to-day comfort with "back-to-basics" nursing care. This type of care, which is especially important to the chronically ill patient's feeling of well-being, involves taking care of "the little things"— answering the nurse-call bell promptly, giving shampoos and manicures, helping to wash up before dinner, or applying lipstick when company is visiting.