Any experience with the BridgePoint acute care centers in DC?

[Anonymous]

Our aunt may be referred to the BridgePoint long-term acute care centers in DC. Has anyone had any experience there? The two locations, on Cap Hill and in SE, were taken over last year by company that renamed them BridgePoint. Not sure what we think, as we can not find anyone who has ever been there. We'd love to hear some feedback on these places.

[Anonymous]

New hedge fund owner after bankruptcy
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2014/12/bankruptcy-completed-specialty-hospital-of.html


Definition of LTACH ("vent farm")
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_acute_care_facility


New Medicare reimbursement rules are creating incentives to push patients into LTACHs in order to optimize acute care hospital profits
http://www.wsj.com/articles/hospital-discharges-rise-at-lucrative-times-1424230201

[Anonymous]

Thank you, PP. I do know about LTACH's and did see the BridgePoint purchase info. And thank you for that WSJ article. That should be required reading for anyone caring for loved ones using Medicare.
Anyone have direct experience with these BridgePoint facilities? Thank you!

[Anonymous]

PP here...

Yes, we checked it out and all concerns were confirmed. UVA has an excellent LTACH you should consider.

[Anonymous]

PP, what were your concerns? Can you share? Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Any recent experience with Bridgepoint? Any acute rehab centers in Montgomery County that can handle a temporarily vented patient?

[Anonymous]

It’s hard because there are not a lot of LTAC facilities, and Bridgepoint is one of the few that isn’t associated with an sure care hospital, whose patients are prioritized for admission (like UMD, Hopkins, UVA, etc).

I think Collingswood in Rockville, Lorien in Mount Airy, FutureCare (in PG)…take vents.

[Anonymous]

.^*acute care hospital, not sure

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s hard because there are not a lot of LTAC facilities, and Bridgepoint is one of the few that isn’t associated with an sure care hospital, whose patients are prioritized for admission (like UMD, Hopkins, UVA, etc).

I think Collingswood in Rockville, Lorien in Mount Airy, FutureCare (in PG)…take vents.

^but those are sub-acute facilities. Regular acute care rehabs don’t take vent patients. There are no LTACs in MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Levindale is another LTAC that isn’t associated with a hospital.

[Anonymous]

I thought Collingswood is a LTAC. It does not take vent patients?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Collingswood is a LTAC. It does not take vent patients?

Sorry, I meant to say collingswood, Lorien and Pineview are subacute rehabs/skilled nursing facilities that take vent patients. They are not LTAC. There may be a waiting list for a bed, it all depends on their census.

[Anonymous]

Who determines if a patient goes to a LTAC or subacute? Can a patient stay in a hospital until she qualifies for subacute or is it up to the insurance company or doctor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who determines if a patient goes to a LTAC or subacute? Can a patient stay in a hospital until she qualifies for subacute or is it up to the insurance company or doctor?

In our hospital, we usually get word from the doctor if they feel a patient is ready for a LTAC. For example, somebody may be downgrading from critical care, but still requiring a vent, trach, feeding tube, etc, which is a longer-term weaning process that does not require a regular hospital stay. But the LTACs have their own admission criteria. Some of the sub-acute rehabs can also accommodate these complex patients, and are preferable to families due to their more convenient locations. Insurance can play a role, too, if prior authorization is needed; they often prefer the least expensive level-of -care that can accommodate a patient’s needs.

[Anonymous]

Also - people can go to a sub-acute rehab from a LTAC.