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 Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital is one of
approximately 50 Critical Access Hospitals in the state of Illinois
who has been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services to offer a “swing bed program.”
Most people may think that a “swing bed” refers to a bed that moves.
However, in this case, it refers to the fact that ALMH can swing to
a different category of care in the hospital setting, depending upon
the patient need. This means that hospital beds at ALMH might be
used for a patient that is suddenly ill and needs acute hospital
care, OR for a patient who needs skilled nursing/post hospital care.
This ability to change, or swing, to a different level of care
allows patients who have been admitted to ALMH for hospital care to
remain for further care without changing locations. In addition,
patients who have been cared for in a larger medical center in
another town can return home to ALMH for their post-hospital care.
Medicare Part A (the Medicare hospital insurance program) covers
post-hospital swing bed services that are provided by Abraham
Lincoln Memorial Hospital. In order to qualify for swing bed
services, the patient is required to receive acute care as a
hospital inpatient for at least 3 consecutive midnights, within the
last 30 days. Many private insurance companies also cover swing bed
care, however Medicaid does not.
The patient must need assistance with a skilled nursing need.
Examples of a skilled nursing need include: physical, occupational,
or speech therapy; wound care, intravenous antibiotics, or further
teaching related to their illness, for example diabetic care.
Typically, the patient transfers into swing bed status immediately
following hospital care. However, sometimes after returning home
their physician recognizes the need for post-hospital care and can
admit a patient for swing bed care. Swing bed patient care has all
of the benefits of being in the hospital. Physicians and nurse
practitioners are present at all times in case your physical status
changes and needs to be assessed. ALMH has a low patient to nurse
ratio and direct access to lab, radiology, and therapy services
provided by our highly trained staff.
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For more information about the Swing Bed program at
ALMH, visit
https://
www.almh.org/ Services/Swing-Bed-Program or call
217-605-5307.
[ALMH/LDN]
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