Swing Bed Services

Swing bed care is designed to help patients transition from acute care hospital settings to their own homes or other care settings by helping them reach their highest levels of physical and mental health.

Medicare Requirements
In order for Medicare to pay for swing bed care, Medicare patients must have received acute care in a hospital setting for at least three days and require one or more skilled service daily performed in a hospital or rehabilitation setting by a licensed nurse or therapist.

Examples of skilled services include:

IV therapy
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Speech therapy
Extensive wound care
Extensive educational needs such as new colostomy or diabetic education short term
Daily monitoring of labs, corresponding with medication treatment, such as IV antibiotics
Other extensive treatments (as approved by Medicare representative)

Patients must show improvement or potential for rehabilitation. When patients reach their highest potential for rehabilitation or no longer show improvement, therapists must discharge them from their service.

Non-Medicare Patients
Swing bed services are available on a short term basis for patients unable to care for themselves at home, even if they don't meet requirements for payment by Medicare. This is a temporary solution until a permanent living situation can be arranged.