Rotarians hear of PPGH's new swing beds service
Palo Pinto General Hospital's Director of Nursing James Fesser, right, told Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday of a new service soon to be offered by PPGH – swing beds.
The hospital has refurbished six rooms on its third floor west wing to provide post-acute care services for patients who typically need care following surgery, such as physical therapy or other treatment, but would have to go to another facility – sometimes in Fort Worth, that can create a hardship for a patient's spouse or family members.
For people on Medicare, to qualify for swing bed service requires a Part A covered service, and the patient would have received three days of acute care within 30 days of receiving the swing bed service. Swing bed coverage using private insurance varies among carriers, Fesser said.
The rooms and services are designed to require the patient to get out of bed to eat, shower, dress and undergo physical therapy or other post-acute activities or treatment. "The goal is to get you well and back home," Fesser said.
He said typically, most swing bed stays are seven-10 days in length. The wing will be staffed by a registered nurse and nurse's aides.
One advantage, Fesser said, is that the hospital will be cable to better control and help ensure a positive post-surgical outcome in most cases.
He said the hospital hopes to begin offering the service in February. He said PPGH officials believe the service is an added value to the community and appreciated by many of its patients and their families.
The program chair this week was Eric Douglas, left. Also pictured is Rotary Club Vice President David Cairone.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship, updates on club projects and a program of interest.