The U.S. spends substantially more on health care than other developed countries. As recently as 2009, health spending in the U.S. was about 90% higher than in many other industrialized countries. Why so much higher?  The most likely causes are higher prices, more readily accessible technology, and greater obesity rate.

Half of health care spending is used to treat just 5% of the population

No one would argue that living in a nursing home is an ideal way to spend one’s golden years. Yet, the facts remain that many of us will do just that.  The good news is that most nursing homes provide warm, loving care in a safe and healthy environment, along with a variety of  programs to meet the social and spiritual needs of residents.  We are proud that our nursing centers – Capitol Hill Nursing Center and Hadley Nursing Center are wonderful examples of healthy environments meeting the needs of their residents.

Access to these hospitals is crucial to a small but critically-ill population of patients. LTACH patients are severely-ill, medically-complex patients with multiple comorbidities. Many of patients are ventilator-dependent or suffer from other complex respiratory issues.

Congress created Long Term Acute Care Hospitals back in 1983 to care for the small population of extremely ill patients for whom the cost of care is beyond the scope of most general hospitals. LTACHs typically achieve high levels of medical recovery and help many patients return home.  The  Specialty Hospital of Washington is a prime example of the success exhibited by LTACHs across the country.

Susan Bailey, CEO of Specialty Hospital of Washington – Capitol Hill, explained the significance of the new unit, “Dr. Bernad has been treating his patients here at SHW for several years with demonstrated success, and we are pleased to be moving forward with a new Coma Neuro Stimulation Program Unit that will allow more patients to benefit from his innovations.”

Dr. Peter Bernad, who studied medicine at McGill University and Massachusetts General Hospital, practices medicine at The George Washington University Hospital where is a member of the medical school faculty. He is a board certified neurologist and internist who is dedicated to improving the treatment options for patients with diseases and injuries to the nervous system. Dr. Bernad is the author of several books on neurological injury and treatment, including “Closed-Head Injury: A Clinical Sourcebook” now in its third edition. Under his care patients who were diagnosed as untreatable have recovered neurological functioning, which allowed them to return to life at home and work.

About Specialty Hospital Of Washington
The Specialty Hospital of Washington is the premier long term acute care hospital in the Washington DC area, and offers a preferred, cost effective alternative to long term stays in typical general hospital intensive care units. SHW is a fully accredited and highly rated hospital providing extraordinary care for its patients at both its Capitol Hill and Hadley campuses.

Every year March 30th is recognized as National Doctor’s Day and SHW-Hadley saluted its excellent Medical Staff, which consist of 95 dedicated physicians representing 20 medical and surgical specialties.

Also on this special day, the hospital rededicated its Chapel. The Chapel Rededication ceremony was incorporated into this year’s Doctor’s day festivities on a two-folded message. The physicians contributed to the remodeling of the chapel that was originally dedicated in September 30, 1986 by the family of Dr. Henry Hadley in honor of his wife Anna V. Hadley. Secondly, the chapel’s rededication ties into the message that resonates throughout the halls of Hadley as a place of healing.

About 91% of the 1,650,000 US nursing home residents are over the age of 65. Most are in care because of physical needs that require help from the nurses, aides or physical therapists on a nursing home staff. These residents may suffer from a wide array of physical or mental disorders or they may simply be feeble and unable to move about, bath themselves or provide their own meals.

Recent studies on nursing home populations reveal that both the age of residents and their need for medical help is increasing.

The National Center for Health Statistics also states that the primary reason given for lack of health insurance coverage was cost (more than 50%), lost job or a change in employment (24%), Medicaid benefits stopped (10%), ineligibility for family insurance coverage due to age or leaving school (8%).

Access to these hospitals is crucial to a small but critically-ill population of patients. LTAC hospital patients are severely-ill, medically-complex patients with multiple comorbidities. Many of our patients are ventilator-dependent or suffer from other complex respiratory issues.