As caregivers, we never enjoy tough conversations, but it鈥檚 a necessary part of our job.
Whether it鈥檚 a lifestyle change, cancer diagnosis or quality of life discussion, it鈥檚 our responsibility to be honest and work together to find the best way forward.
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Many nonprofit hospitals across the country are having tough conversations on a much larger scale.
This year, hospital from $228 million in 2022 to $419 million in 2023. This is due to increases in supply and labor costs and fixed reimbursements below the cost of care from Medicare and Medicaid that do not take inflation into account.
Like these hospitals, Sanford Bemidji is having similar conversations. How do we provide financially sustainable care post-pandemic? From these discussions, we have made the difficult decision to close the Sanford Bemidji Medical Center鈥檚 Acute Rehabilitation Unit (ARU).
The five beds currently within the ARU will be converted to inpatient care beds on our Medical/Surgical/Orthopedics unit, which serves patients hospitalized for disease, illness, testing, surgery and/or observation. These additional beds are a need for our region.
The ARU provides inpatient rehabilitative services, including physical, occupational and speech therapy, for patients with significant functional disabilities associated with stroke, spinal cord injuries, acquired brain injuries and major trauma.
Over the years, the number of licensed beds on the unit has fluctuated based on volumes and need for the service in the region. During the pandemic, the unit was closed and used as our COVID-19 unit.
At that time, many patients who would have previously been admitted to the ARU were admitted to other inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the region, nursing homes and swing beds at critical access hospitals where they could receive 24/7 nursing care and direct access to rehabilitative services without having to leave the hospital.
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Over the last decade, advancements in care and changes to CMS and payer qualifications have led to a steady decrease in ARU admissions. Today, the five-bed unit currently sees an average census of 2.64 patients per day.
How we treat patients as a rural health care provider is more than just one unit or one facility, it extends to many departments, specialists and locations throughout northern Minnesota.
Closing the ARU will allow us to reallocate scarce resources to other high-need areas within the hospital and more fully utilize swing bed capabilities and rehabilitative services within the newly remodeled Sanford Bagley Medical Center.
The ARU will continue to accept patients through early March and officially close April 1, 2024. We remain committed to our patients who require inpatient rehabilitative care. Our team will continue to work closely with care providers in our region to coordinate care close to home.
Following the closure, patients in need of acute rehabilitation services will be referred to other regional inpatient rehabilitation units in the area, such as Sanford Fargo, as well as swing beds at nearby critical access hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.
Many of our employees and departments have touched this unit over the years. Thank you to everyone who has helped facilitate care in the ARU and improve the quality of life for many of our community members who received care on the unit.
To the Sanford family members whose positions will be directly impacted by this change, you are valued and will be supported while pursuing new opportunities here at Sanford.
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Please, know that this difficult decision to close the unit is not a reflection of you or the excellent level of care you鈥檝e provided our community.
Karla Eischens, RPh, is the President and CEO of Sanford Health鈥檚 Bemidji region located in northern Minnesota. She can be reached at (218) 333-5264 or karla.eischens@sanfordhealth.org.
The Trust Project
