Once you make selection Discharge Planner will check for bed availability at that nursing home. The nursing home may send out their nurse liaison to hospital to assess resident and make sure that nursing home can provide care and has appropriate equipment for patient as well as get needed information to verify that patient has met Medicare criteria for a skilled rehabilitation stay and to obtain information to verify payer source. This information is then passed on to nursing home’s Admissions Coordinator to review. Once it has been decided that nursing home will accept patient Discharge Planner is contacted. The Discharge Planner will obtained necessary physicians orders to discharge patient to nursing home and make transportation arrangements. As a courtesy to nursing home sometimes Discharge Planner will fax orders on to Admissions Coordinator so receiving nurse can verify equipment needed and order medications required for patient. Otherwise, orders come with patient.

While at nursing home Admissions Coordinator is verifying payer source. If payer source is traditional Medicare they will verify days available that Medicare will pay for. If, an HMO is payer source they will obtain required authorization, level of care and days authorized to provide care. The Admissions Coordinator will disseminate all hospital information to Interdisciplinary Team of nursing home to prepare to receive patient.

By time patient arrives at nursing home room should be ready with all of necessary equipment needed. The Admissions Coordinator will have an agreement ready for patient or responsible party to review and sign. Once in nursing home patient is referred to as a “Resident”. The nursing home is a different environment. It’s not a hospital, nor home for a skilled patient.

Consent to Treatment Assignment Of Benefits Agreement with Pharmacy Assignment to Use Medicare Part B Receipt of Health Information Portability and Accountability Act Health Information Practices and Release of Information Consent Medicare Determination Letter Consent for a Resident Trust Account Bed Hold Policy Ancillary Services Price List

During admission process Admission Coordinator will briefly describe to you each section of agreement and what you are putting your signature to. To read whole agreement to you would take 2 to 3 hours. Always request a copy of agreement (you should not be charged for a copy).

Nursing homes are required to provide you with information and some of this information vary from state to state and nursing home to nursing home. This is how nursing homes prove to regulatory agencies that they have provided you with information. Here is an example list of those types of acknowledgement forms:

Acknowledgement or Receipt of Nursing Home Policies and Procedures Acknowledgement or Receipt of Resident Rights Acknowledgement or Receipt of Falls Management Program Acknowledgement or Receipt of Skin Management Program Acknowledgement or Receipt of Hydration Management Program Acknowledgement or Receipt of Nutrition Management Program Acknowledgement or Receipt of Self-Administration of Medication Acknowledgement or Receipt of Chemical/Physical Restraints

You will feel that you are signing your life away but you are not. All of these forms are standard for admission into most all nursing home rehabilitation units. Be sure to read them as soon as you can. If you have any questions ask them to explain. If they can’t or won’t explain contact faculty ombudsman for assistance.