Care Management - Extend & Mend

We Help You Get the Right Level of Care

If you have a condition that will involve a longer period of care, you’ll achieve the best possible outcome with the help of the professionals in the Care Management Department. The goal is to serve you with the best and most appropriate care for every stage of recovery.

What Is the Care Management Department?

A number of different professionals serve in this department to assist with the progress of the patient’s plan of care, while making every effort to achieve the most favorable clinical outcome in a timely and cost-effective manner. Care Management serves patients of all ages through Case Management, Utilization Review, Infection Control, Quality and Risk Management.

What Kind of Professionals Staff the Care Management Department?

The staff consists of case coordinator nurses, social workers and the infection control nurse. The case coordinator is the multidisciplinary team coordinator, and the social worker provides a connection between the patient and community resources, providing assistance with discharge arrangements. This team works together with physicians, the patient and their families, staff nurses and third-party payers to provide access to the most appropriate level of care and provide quality, cost-effective care and services.

What if I Need Extra Time in the Hospital to Recover?

Sometimes after an illness or surgery, you may reach a point in your recovery in which you do not need full inpatient hospital care but are not yet ready to return home. To provide for this intermediate level of care, we offer the Extend & Mend Program. This is a Medicare program designed to provide additional inpatient care to those needing extra time to heal or strengthen before returning home. Extend & Mend allows physicians to change the patient’s level of care from “acute” to “skilled rehabilitation.” It is designed to be short-term. Even though you may be in the same bed, you will not be considered to be an inpatient.

Often an Extend & Mend Program is used for patients who have had surgery such as hip or other joint replacement. In addition to major surgery, a lengthy illness can also result in the need for swing bed care. A patient can transfer from a larger facility to the Extend & Mend Program or, if they are already an inpatient, the patient’s hospital designation can be changed to receive this care. This means that patients do not have to move to another room, but rather their designation changes from inpatient to Extend & Mend patient.

Under Medicare rules, patients must have at least a three-day stay as an acute patient and be admitted to the hospital for a condition that was addressed during the three-day hospital stay. Patients must need ongoing monitoring and/or require Rehabilitation Therapy in order to qualify. Once patients are in the Extend & Mend Program, they must continue to show progress toward reaching their goals.

What if I Need Help With Social Services?

For more information about Social Services, contact 815-876-2152.

What if I Need Help With Infection Control?

For more information about Infection Control, contact 815-876-2272.

How Can I Get Information About Advance Directives?

For Advance Directive information, contact the Social Services Department, contact 815-876-2152.

How Can I Get More Information About Extend & Mend Swing Bed Program?

For more information about the Swing Bed Program, contact the Care Management Department.

How Can I Learn More About the Family Acute Care and Observation Services?

For more information about  Family Acute Care  and Observation services, please call 815-876-2290.