The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Healthcare isn’t always black and white.

There are times when a patient isn’t fully healed from their condition, but they also aren’t sick or hurt enough to the point they still require around-the-clock medical attention. Where can these individuals go when they’re in this gray area — on the mend, but still not safe enough to return home?

Haxtun Health’s Swing Bed Rehab program. These post-acute care services in Haxtun allow patients to recover close to home in a place they trust. The Swing Bed Rehab program provides a stable, therapeutic environment where patients can recover with the guidance and help of doctors, nurses and rehabilitation specialists.

Individuals may be eligible to participate in the program if their needs cannot be met at home, but their condition no longer demands a hospital stay. The goal of the program is to provide extra care to those who still need day-to-day assistance to build independence before going home; for example, post-surgery patients prone to falling or patients who still need IV therapy.

“It’s important for patients to heal close to home and near their families,” said McKenzie Fleharty, Swing Bed Director at Haxtun Health. “Loved ones shouldn’t need to drive more than two hours to the Front Range to visit patients during their recovery. At Haxtun Health, patients can heal at home with their family’s support and the support of nursing and clinical staff who understand their needs best.”

Details about Haxtun Health’s swing bed program

A majority of Swing Bed patients at Haxtun Health require additional rehabilitation, such as occupational therapy or physical therapy. Many patients may also require IV therapy or wound care.

“Most of our services are housed under one building or very close by,” she said. “In our facility, you already know your physician, nurses and a majority of staff. You’re a part of our family and not just another person filling a bed. We care deeply for each of our patients.”

Each patient receives customized care to their individual needs, which could include: physical therapy, up to five days per week; occupational therapy; 24-hour nursing care; activity programs tailored to the patient; no visitor restrictions — families can visit patients in the hospital at any time; visits from a physician once a week or every other week, if necessary; and four-hour access to on-site physicians, if necessary.

“We’re small enough we can offer the services our patients need but also want to do,” Fleharty said. “Our goal is to offer continuity of care and to help in any way we can to get our patients back home. We care for them like family.”

Patient: “I couldn’t ask

for a better experience”

Several moments stood out to Mitch Fries while he was a patient of Haxtun Health’s swing bed rehab program.

Fries, a Fleming resident, was amazed at the staff’s efficiency and their kind, knowledgeable approach in care. He appreciated the comforting details staff put forth during his stay; for example, a welcome basket greeted him when he entered his hospital room. He was even impressed with the food served on St. Patrick’s Day — a delicious corned beef and cabbage meal.

“A lot of times, you prepare for the bare minimum at small hospitals, but I didn’t get that at all at Haxtun Health,” he said. “Everyone was so attentive, and the care was magnificent. They made me feel comfortable at every turn and I couldn’t ask for a better experience.”

In the care of Haxtun Health Swing Bed for a little less than two weeks, Fries said the Swing Bed program fully prepared him for life at home. He rebuilt his upper body strength through physical therapy, which allowed him to remain independent and navigate freely around his home.

Fries formed strong bonds with everyone he interacted with. He appreciated the experience and expertise of his caregivers and always felt he was in good hands. He also valued the partnership approach his physical therapist took regarding his care. Fries had a say in his treatment plan and could advocate for adjustments when necessary.

Fries has one favorite memory that comes to mind when he thinks about his time at Haxtun Health. While walking his usual loop with his physical therapist, he often received cheers from staff and nurses in the hallway who noticed his progress. Those are the moments he’ll look back on and cherish most.

“I wasn’t looking forward to having to stay at the hospital and wanted to go home at first, but my provider convinced me that wasn’t the best idea,” Fries said. “Now, I’m sure glad I had the help of the Haxtun staff to recover because it made all the difference in getting better.”

Haxtun Health is always accepting new patients in Northeast Colorado. Patients must qualify and have a referral for Swing Bed rehabilitation. To qualify, insurance typically requires the individual to be an acute inpatient for three consecutive nights.

For more information about the Swing Bed service at Haxtun Health, call (970) 774-6123, contact Swing Bed Director McKenzie Fleharty at [email protected] or go to haxtunhealth.org/services/swing-bed.