Swing beds and rural hospitals in New York, 1991 to 1994

New York implemented a hospital swing bed program in 1991 to allow rural hospitals access to Medicare Part B financing, increase utilization of hospital rehabilitation services, and facilitate the care of patients in their home communities. Between the years 1991 and 1994, 13 hospitals participated in the program. The authors used the New York State Department of Health annual hospital reporting data to examine the hospital swing bed experience for length of stay, payer type, and discharge disposition. Eighty- six percent of swing bed admissions came from the acute care units of the host hospital or a referral hospital. The average length of stay decreased from 25 days to 19 days during the study period with almost one-half of the patients being discharged. Swing bed revenues accounted for 3.4 percent of the total hospital gross revenues by 1994. Respite care, a component unique to New York, accounted for an increasing percent of admissions throughout the study period. The program served a useful rehabilitative function, and it represents one strategy to care for rural patients near their homes.