Patients transitioning from a hospital stay back into a home environment are the focus of a new floor at UnityPoint-Health Proctor.
The 43-bed Transitional Care Unit will begin accepting patients, primarily older adults, on Thurs. Patients who are older or have chronic conditions typically receive care from many providers and move frequently within healthcare settings. The new transitional care floor encourages patients to manage their health and well-being before returning home.
“If we can train them and get them better prepared to manage that at home, then you’ve really got a continuum of care, so that person can be pretty independent,” Roberta Parks, UnityPoint Foundation vice president, said.
The floor includes amenities like a hair salon, communal dining room, as well as a space for physical and occupational therapy. It also has "practice" rooms, like a kitchen and bathroom, designed to help patients regain practical life skills.
The $4 million construction is essentially a short-term rehab facility, but it's designed to look more like a hotel than a hospital, says Dr. Gregory Johnson, a key player in the development of the project.
The psychological effects of subtle details, like naming of rooms, were considered in the planning. During a media tour Tues., Johnson pointed to a sign that read "spa," indicating a room where patients can soak in a special bathtub that improves circulation.
“We would much rather keep you in a skilled facility, teach you how to take care of yourself, empower you and make you feel better about your own health, than have you continually cycling through the hospital at high costs,” Johnson said.
Dr. Johnson says the unit represents the growing paradigm shift in healthcare, focusing on preventative medicine. He adds, the new transitional unit at Proctor allows the hospital to essentially “leap frog” the emergency room, which presents additional savings for the hospital and taxpayers.
The Transitional Care unit accepts patients with Medicare or any private insurance that covers nursing home stays, Johnson said.
