Celebrate the essential role that Kaleida Health's long-term care facilities play in providing high-quality, 24-hour nursing care to our Western New York neighbors.
The 2024 theme is 'Radiant Memories: A Tribute to the Golden Age of Radio'
Skilled nursing facilities provide nursing, physical, occupational and speech therapy, therapeutic dietetics and personal care support in a supportive, home-like environment. Our long-term care teams focus on resident safety while maintaining dignity and personal choice. It’s health care given when you need, where you need it.
Each employee has a crucial role to play in the long-term and post-acute care community as we strive to improve the quality of life for all residents by providing a home away from home that allows them to have the essential connections they need to thrive.
Our DeGraff Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Facility (DeGraff SNF) is an 80-bed facility on two floors with an occupancy rate of 95 percent. DeGraff’s SNF provides quality, compassionate, patient-centered care to a population of elderly residents and sub-acute patients who require sub-acute rehab including medical management and strengthening to return home.
“We provide a home for long-term patients who can no longer care for themselves in a community setting, and who require assistance with the activities of daily living and medical management of disease processes,” said Director of Nursing Audrey Bertozzi, BSN, RN.
Kaleida Health’s HighPointe on Michigan is a 300-bed skilled nursing facility that cares for LTC adult residents, subacute rehab adult residents, LTC adult ventilator residents and LTC pediatric residents. HighPointe employs a broad scope of skilled personnel including RNs, LPNs, CNAs, therapists, nutritional experts, social workers and activity professionals to meet the care needs of the residents they serve.
Our staff provides assistance with activities of daily living, medication and medication management as ordered, and sensory stimulation exercises. At all times they strive to promote a comfortable, home-like atmosphere for patients. Our clinical team is supported by our environmental, dietary, laundry, medical records, administrative and plant operations professionals. It truly takes a team to provide for those entrusted into our care.
The skilled nursing team members are trained in a variety of specialized technologies to ensure a safe and more efficient quality of care, such as point-of-care documentation, the electronic health record, Masimo oxygen monitoring system, infusion pumps, oxygen concentrators, automated dispensing cabinets (Pyxis) and mechanical lifts.
Also, May 7 is MDS Coordinator Day. Kaleida Health’s Utilization Review department plays an integral role in ensuring that our long-term care facilities are completely and fairly reimbursed for services rendered. The minimum data set (MDS) is an assessment tool used by nursing professionals to determine the well-being and functionality of residents in a nursing care facility. This tool, when properly used, assists clinicians in accurately understanding a resident’s abilities and needs, vital to creating a comprehensive plan of care.
“Each MDS nurse maintains a caseload and develops schedules for MDS completion, which then drives care planning schedules,” said Paul Markel, assistant administrator for long-term care. “They also provide regular updates to insurance companies to maintain coverage."
By completing assessments accurately and on time, and obtaining and maintaining authorizations by insurers, Utilization Review works closely with all disciplines to develop care plans that are patient-centered and ensure that quality measures accurately reflect quality of care. The department completes about 1,600 assessments annually.