Franklin, LA, May 26, 2022 — The Transitional Care team at Franklin Foundation Hospital wants St. Mary Parish and the surrounding communities to know that they are ready and able to support local recovery following hospitalization. Evidence-based Transitional Care at Franklin Foundation Hospital is a program for patients who’ve had an acute hospital stay either at Franklin Foundation or in another local hospital facility, that have nursing or rehabilitation needs during their recovery that cannot easily be met in their home or even some skilled nursing facilities. Because of available hospital resources, some patients may be able to move from the acute hospital phase into the recovery process at Franklin Foundation Hospital Transitional Care sooner than in many nursing home-based programs.
Some examples of daily skilled care needs after a hospital stay that would qualify for the program might include frequent intravenous medications, wound care, breathing treatments, nursing assessment and care for multiple medical needs, nursing oversight of complex plans of care, or a range of rehabilitation therapy.
The facility’s program is supported by education, data, and guidance from Allevant Solutions, a joint venture of Mayo Clinic and Select Medical. The program, modeled on the Mayo Clinic’s successful efforts in Wisconsin and Minnesota, was created by Mayo Clinic pulmonologist and Allevant Medical Director, Mark Lindsay, M.D., to provide access to high-quality post-acute services to rural America.
“Critical Access Hospital-based Transitional Care offers a number of important advantages over other post-acute options. Patients receive two to three times more nurse hours per patient than most skilled nursing facilities and are supported by a strong team culture with a patient-
centered approach. On-site hospital resources such as physicians, radiology, and laboratory services, allow the team to address sudden changes in condition. Nationally, patient stays in hospital-based Transitional Care programs are, on average, about half that of stays in skilled nursing facilities, so patients also get home sooner,” Lindsay said.
Most patients receiving this care at Franklin Foundation Hospital will be covered by the Medicare Swing Bed benefit. Stephanie Guidry, CEO of Franklin Foundation added, “Franklin Foundation Hospital provides a range of services, and supporting recovery after a hospital stay is an important part of what we offer the community. Because we are able to adjust our staffing and resources, the program doesn’t limit our ability to provide other important care. If you or a loved one needs some support after a hospital stay, contact our team to see if the program would be a good fit for you.