What Are Skilled Nursing Facilities?

Skilled nursing facilities offer a place of residence for seniors who need continuous health care after a medical condition or procedure. They offer a comfortable transition between their hospital stay and returning home. When the skilled nursing facility is hospital based it provides the added benefit of the patient not needing to relocate after hospitalization.
Who can benefit from skilled nursing facilities?
• Seniors needing physical therapy or occupational therapy
• Seniors who are still on IV antibiotics
• Seniors with serious health issues
• Seniors with disabilities
• Seniors needing wound care
How long do patients stay in skilled nursing facilities?
The average stay at a SNF is between 5 days and three weeks. Short-term rehabilitative stays are common for patients that are still on IV antibiotics after a procedure. Other seniors need more time to regain strength after the hospital has discharged them and might need treatment for a few weeks after a procedure. Long-term nursing supervision is normally only needed for patients with serious health issues or disabilities, with stays lasting a month or more.
Paying for skilled nursing facilities
When prescribed by a physician, treatment in skilled nursing facilities may be covered by some private health insurance policies, veteran’s benefits, long-term care insurance policies or even Medicare.
Medicare Part A covers care provided by a skilled nursing facility if the patient meets all of these conditions:
• The individual has Part A Medicare and has days left in the benefit period.
• The individual has a qualifying hospital stay.
• A doctor has decided the care provided by SNF is necessary.
• Services provided are those that are certified by Medicare.
• If the individual is attending a SNF after a hospital-related medical condition.
To read more about Medicare coverage for Skilled Nursing Facilities please click here.
Choosing a Houston area rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Facility
OakBend Medical Center has the only Hospital-based Skilled Nursing Facility in all of Fort Bend County. The SNF at OakBend Medical Center is a happy place to heal. Patients are encouraged to make strides every day to meet their health goals. Each patient has an individualized treatment plan with the goal of having the most enjoyable stay as possible.
Services offered at OakBend Medical Center’s Skilled Nursing Facility
• Discharge planning and follow-up calls – When patients are discharged, the staff at OakBend Medical Center will follow up regularly with them to make sure they have all the help necessary.
• Social and educational activities – Participation is encouraged in social and educational activities for patients staying at OakBend Medical Center’s SNF.
• Individualized treatment and personalized gifts – Every patient leaves with a gift and personalized goody bags are given out for each holiday and event.
• Nutrition counseling – Malnutrition is one of the most common issues for the elderly population. Nutrition counseling is provided for all seniors at OakBend Medical Center’s skilled nursing facility.
• On-site critical care nursing – Critical care nurses are highly-trained to care for patients who are critically ill or at high risk for life-threatening medical issues.
• Occupational, speech and physical therapies – These therapies can help speed recovery for seniors after a hospital stay.
• Pharmaceutical, laboratory and radiology services – The SNF at OakBend Medical center has its own pharmacy and performs most standard diagnostic lab tests as well as most diagnostic radiological tests on-site.
• Quiet rounding – If the patients are asleep when nurses go to check vitals they will come back later to allow for the most undisturbed sleep possible.
• Two Hospice rooms – OakBend Medical center offers two around-the-clock hospice care rooms, including pain management and support for families. When a loved one nears the end of life it can be one of most difficult challenges a family can face. The highly-respected hospice team at OakBend Medical Center provides the tools needed to face this time with dignity and respect.
For more information on Fort Bend’s premier hospital-based skilled nursing facility please call 281-341-3000 or click here to view their brochure.