Swing bed care program
Swing bed program in Minnesota and western Wisconsin
After a hospital stay, you may feel more than ready to return home – but sometimes, additional care is needed. In cases like these, the swing bed program bridges the gap between receiving care in the hospital and returning home. It combines round-the-clock hospital-level care with familiar comforts.
In the swing bed program, you’ll remain in a hospital setting and receive rehabilitative and nursing care that focuses on continuous recovery. Through treatment plans tailored to your unique situation, we’ll help you prepare to leave the hospital feeling confident and empowered.
Swing bed transitional care helps you move from hospital to home
Our swing bed program gives you the option to continue recovering from injury, illness or surgery in the hospital setting within the HealthPartners care system, rather than a transitional care facility or nursing home. You’ll have immediate access to on-site medical professionals and service, plus the flexibility to travel off-site for short periods of time to attend appointments, family events and other obligations.
Because our swing bed program is hosted in our hospitals, it features enhanced services that may not be provided at other transitional care locations and the ability to accommodate patients of greater medical complexity.
The meaning behind “swing bed”
The term “swing bed” refers to a hospital bed serving more than one purpose – from hosting acute care patients to patients who are further along in their recovery, the bed swings between the two needs.
Swing bed care typically focuses on skilled nursing and therapy needs. If care beyond your swing bed stay is necessary, your clinician team can provide education that will help you care for yourself or your loved one once back home.
Examples of conditions and situations that can benefit from the hospital-based swing bed program:
- Recovery from major surgery, joint replacement, or vascular or abdominal procedures
- Following a hospitalization
- Recovery from a major accident or stroke
- Pain management
- Wounds that are not healing or need special care
- Nutritional therapy
- IV therapy, including long-term IV antibiotics
- Treatment involving intensive rehabilitation therapy, including physical, occupational, speech or respiratory therapy
- Transitioning to home care and waiting for those services to be established
- Any medical condition that requires ongoing nursing observation and assessment
Swing bed facility amenities
During your swing bed stay, you’ll have access to hospital-level services should you need them, as well as rehabilitation, 24-hour nursing care and other support to help you achieve your health and recovery goals.
In addition to these services, we offer the following amenities at our hospitals:
- A private room with television and space for a family member to sleep
- Private bathroom and shower
- Made-to-order room service
- 24/7 visiting hours
- Ability to bring and wear your own clothes from home
- Immediate access to doctors and other medical specialists
- Hospital-based nurse-to-patient ratios
- Fully equipped therapy gym
- Common spaces for relaxation, both indoor and outdoor
- Freedom to leave for short periods of time to attend appointments, family events and other off-site obligations
The HealthPartners swing bed program is offered at:
In the swing bed program, you’ll receive care close to home that focuses on you and your recovery, while family members have the comfort of knowing you’re in good hands.
You may not need the swing bed model of care after every hospital stay. To find out more about our swing bed program and whether it’s an option for you or your loved one, ask a member of your hospital care team.