Transitional Care & Facilities

We would like to help you or your loved one plan the next step in the transition to healing. Your care team is recommending that you transfer health care from Billings Clinic Hospital to receive transitional care in another setting in Billings, a nearby community, or closer to your hometown.

“Transitional Care” is a phrase used to describe care of patients moving between health care teams and settings as their condition and care needs change due to an illness, health event, or injury. In this case, we mean moving from our acute care hospital in Billings to another health care setting. Another setting may include a critical access hospital, skilled nursing facility, long term acute care hospital, inpatient rehabilitation hospital or home health.

Your care manager is available to answer questions – ask your nurse or call the main Care Management line at (406) 657-4249.

The chart below explains some of the differences among facilities. Read below the chart for definitions of terms.
*These services are subject to change, so please contact Care Management if you have questions.

Definitions

Assisted Living: Private pay senior living housing facility that can provide assistance with basic activities of daily living (ADL), medication reminders, support services, and respite stays. (Not paid for by insurance.)

Critical Access Hospitals (also called Subacute, Swing Bed, or Transitional Care): Critical access hospitals (CAH) provide a higher level of care than a skilled nursing facility. In addition to better nursing to patient ratios, they provide onsite providers, physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT) and speech therapy (ST), cardiac, lab, and X-ray capabilities.

Home Health: Intermittent skilled RN, PT, OT, ST, and Social Workers. Medicare requires patient be considered homebound, which means it must be a taxing effort for patient to be able to go to an outpatient service for ongoing care from home.

Inpatient Rehabilitation Provides intense, multidisciplinary therapy to patients, must be able to tolerate rehabilitation for a minimum of 3 hours/day. (Example: Rehab Hospital of Montana)

Long Term Acute Care Hospitals (LTACH) Certified acute care hospital, focus on patients who, on average, stay more than 25 days (long term antibiotics, wound care, rehab). (Example: Advanced Care Hospital of Montana)

Personal/Custodial Care: Assists with personal and home care (ADLs), this does not require a skilled or licensed provider. Coverage: Private pay, Medicaid, VA

Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF): Offers 24-hour skilled nursing and personal care, also has rehabilitation services (PT/OT/ST).

Transitional Care Facilities and Links to their Websites

For more information about specific Transitional Care facilities, please click on the website links below:
*Not accepting patients who have Medicaid as the primary payer.