Skilled care is a "nice bridge" between hospital and home

(Photo courtesy of Winneshiek Medical Center)

When someone goes into the hospital for surgery or other kinds of acute care, but then starts to recover, they might no longer need acute care but they're not ready to return to independent living.
 
That's where "skilled care" can come in at a place like Winneshiek Medical Center.  WMC skilled care manager Bev Rustad says "it's a really nice bridge" between the hospital and home.

At Winneshiek Medical Center, therapists provide rehab services seven days a week in most cases, usually two hours each day.  Rustad says the focus is to get patients to be able to function at the level they had functioned before entering the hospital.

Winneshiek Medical Center's Amanda Hartley says she's seeing an increased need for skilled care services.  While the emphasis is on rehabilitation, the hospital also has Registered Nurses available 24/7, dietitians on staff to consult about nutrition and physicians on-site should an emergency arise.

The two hospital employees spoke to the Decorah Rotary Club this week.