A State of Caring
KRISTEN UPPERCUE
West Virginia ’ s Culture of Compassion in Transitional , Long-Termand End-of-Life Care
Since the coronavirus pandemic began , many people outside the Appalachian region have showed an interest in relocating to more rural areas , including West Virginia . One of the main criteria for many people looking to move is access to quality health care amenities . While statistically West Virginians face some less than favorable health outcomes and some struggle to gain access to health care due to the rural terrain , the Mountain State is also home to several world-class health care systems and a culture that takes care of its own .
This is particularly true in the areas of transitional care , nursing homes , assisted living and hospice and palliative care . Sixteen percent of the state ’ s population falls in the age 65 and older category , and this group is expected to make up a quarter of the state ’ s population by 2030 , according to a report by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources , making these services a priority for the health care community .
Transitional Care
Transitional care refers to the service of transferring a patient from one level of care to another or one setting to another while supporting the patient every step of the way on their health care journey . Rather than leaving a patient and their family to adjust and navigate the health care system alone , transitional care specialists focus on making the process easier by educating patients on what to expect and what the next steps are as well as communicating with their various health care providers .
“ Too often , a health care transition is a stressful , confusing or cold experience without much communication or support . We see transitional care as warmly and smoothly transitioning patients from one care provider or level of care to another ,” says Larry Pack , CEO of Stonerise Healthcare .
With the considerable number of services and settings a patient may encounter , communication amongst different health care providers is crucial to ensure continuity for the patient , as well as reduced stress and decreased patient readmission rates . This is where transitional care providers like Stonerise come in .
Stonerise is a network of 17 transitional and skilled nursing care centers , therapy care , home health services and hospice care with a team of physicians , therapists , social workers , nurse practitioners , registered nurses and certified nursing assistants spanning all 55 counties in West Virginia and three counties in southeast Ohio . Stonerise is the only provider that owns and delivers short- and long-term skilled nursing stays at its transitional care centers in West Virginia , as well as full-scale home health and therapy service lines .
A Stonerise patient will receive one point of contact to work with across all service offerings , making the process easier for the patient while reducing stress and increasing communication .
“ Stonerise is not just one stop on a health care journey ,” says Pack . “ Rather , Stonerise and other transitional care providers walk alongside the patient on that journey , ensuring they receive the care and services they need and know what to expect from the path ahead . We want care transitions , whether it ’ s coordinating with multiple specialty physicians or leaving a hospital stay , to be more certain , more human and more loving .”
For example , according to Pack , if a patient has recently received knee replacement surgery , they would talk with a Stonerise liaison that works with their hospital who would verify their insurance coverage and help them find a short-term stay at a transitional care center . The patient might engage in
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE