Rehab to Home

If you need medical help before going home, you may benefit from our inpatient care and therapy program.

What Is the Swing Bed Program?

“Swing bed” is the Medicare term to describe patients who need skilled nursing care and short-term rehabilitation while an inpatient at the hospital. Critical access hospitals in rural communities with 25 beds or fewer are authorized to offer this service.

You may qualify for swing bed services if you have been in the hospital for at least 3 days and still require additional nursing and/or rehabilitation help. Patients who benefit may require daily physical therapy, occupational, and/or speech therapy, post-surgical care, IV treatment, specialized treatment for non-healing wounds, and education related to disease management.

Patients typically stay in Swing Bed Program for about 7 or 8 days. Once they have achieved optimal recovery, they will be allowed to be discharged and go home.

Services We Offer

The following services are available in the Rehab to Home Program and provided according to each patient’s individual needs:

• Medication counseling
• Physical, occupational and/or speech therapy
• Nutrition counseling
• Respiratory therapy
• Skilled nursing care
• Wound care

Each patient works with a team of experts that includes a doctor, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, dietitians, and a discharge planner. This team works together to make sure the transition from hospital to home is successful.

Insurance & Payment

If a patient meets the qualifications for the Rehab to Home Program (3-day hospital stay and need for daily nursing and/or rehab), Medicare and most Medicare Advantage plans generally cover the cost. Most Medicare supplement plans cover co-pays and/or deductibles. Some commercial insurance plans cover swing bed services. Check with your insurance provider to confirm what services they cover and at what rate.

To reach the Wabash General Hospital Rehab to Home Program, please call (618) 263-6320.