Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/403756
M AKING HEALTHCARE DECISIONS can be stressful — even more so when they involve post acute care for a family member. The Kindred Contact Center can help. Staffed by specially trained Registered Nurses, the Contact Center is an information resource for patients, caregivers and healthcare providers alike. According to Michael Felver, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Kindred Hospital Cleveland, the Contact Center is a new and unique initiative to reach out to people who want to learn about the post acute care world. "What we're trying to do is to be a resource for patients, their family members, case managers, referring physicians . . . anyone who wants to learn more about post acute care options," he says. "In many ways, the Contact Center could be considered a navigation tool." Raelene Kost, RN, the Contact Center's manager, agrees. "If you have a patient or family member that's been in the hospital and is, for example, recovering at home from a hip replacement surgery and not doing well, and you're not sure what to do or where to go for help, our Contact Center will help you navigate your options." Kindred is an option, she points out, to continue the care. "We can help patients needing the highest level of post acute care or assist with care in the home – whatever is needed to get them well." Kindred Healthcare is the largest diversi- fied provider of post acute care services in the United States. In Northeast Ohio, Kindred has developed active integrated care partnerships to transition patients in need of extended recovery time from acute care settings across multiple settings. Included are long-term acute care (LTAC) hospitals, sub-acute (skilled nursing) units, rehabilitation centers, assisted living facili- ties and homecare. "Our Contact Center is for everyone – not just for people seeking information about Kindred, and not just for patients in the Cleveland area but across the nation," says Kost. "For example, we may get a phone call from someone in California, where we don't have a Kindred. In this case we will help the caller find care options with unaffiliated facilities that are close to where they live. Our nurses will help in any way they can." Help for Patients and Families When looking for short-term rehab services or long-term acute care, Kindred's Contact Center helps callers locate clinically- appropriate local facilities and care options via a wide variety of online and community- based sources. By Robert Janek Kindred Contact Center a Resource for Patients, Families and Physicians PHOTOS © SMITHBERGER PHOTOGRAPHY, NORTH CANTON Michael Felver, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Kindred Hospital Cleveland, where a new and unique initiative — the Contact Center — was launched earlier this year SPOTLIGHT 1 8 | Cleveland/Akron/Canton MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M ■ N OV E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4