Frequently Asked Questions

Accommodations

What makes your facility different?

Our staff members are what set us apart from other nursing facilities.  A great deal of our staff members have been here long-term – many at least five years and some over 35 years!  Patients will see the same friendly faces throughout their stay. Our courteous staff members will put you at ease, make you comfortable and provide the therapy and nursing care you require to get you home as soon as you are ready. Our therapists are our own staff (not an outside agency) and will get you to maximize your ability and return home safely.

What are the rooms like?

All Radius HealthCare Centers offer both private and semi-private rooms.  All have been renovated to ensure a comfortable stay and are equipped with television and phone access.

What are your visiting hours?

Visiting hours are not restricted. Family members and friends are invited to visit thus making your stay more enjoyable. We ask only that common courtesy be used in regards to other patients in that if you have a large amount of visitors or visitors at late/early hours, that you meet in a common area lounge. Visiting hours typically range from 10am-8pm each day.

Do you have a separate Alzheimer’s Unit?

Radius HealthCare Centers offer many different levels of care. We have short-term units for patients needing rehabilitation after a hospital stay before returning home. In addition we have “Candlewood Units” for the memory impaired. Patients with some form of dementia can come either short-term, long-term or respite. Candlewood is a secure unit with the added security of the wander-guard system and Project LifeSaver.

Clinical Services

How often is the resident seen by the physician?

All residents will be seen by a physician upon admission within a 24 - 48 hour window. Subsequent physician visits may be made by the physician or his/her Nurse Practitioner. Of course, if your clinical condition warrants a physician/nurse practitioner visit, the nursing staff will arrange for the physician to visit.

How much therapy will I receive?

Each patient is different. Our therapists will evaluate you when you arrive and, along with the doctor, develop a treatment plan that is right for you. Remember, each patient’s plan of care is individualized to their specific needs.

Can I self-administer drugs? 

A resident has the right to administer his/her own medications unless the interdisciplinary team determines this practice may be unsafe or may contribute to a decline in the resident’s level of functioning or medical status.

How long will I need to stay?

Each patient’s medical needs are different; thus their stay will be different. A team meeting is scheduled within 72 hours of admission to determine a plan. Therapy, nursing, social services along with the patient and their family (if requested) will meet to discuss progress, goals and services/equipment needed to transition home. Insurance company Case Managers will also influence the length of coverage.

Benefits

What does Medicare Part A cover in a SNF?

If the requirements for coverage are met, Medicare Part A will pay up to 100 days of your stay per "spell of illness" (what Medicare calls the same illness or condition).  During the 21st through the 100th day, you will be responsible for paying daily Medicare co-pay set by the Medicare Program.  Effective 01/01/11, the co-pay amount is $141.50 per day.  Many supplemental insurance companies pay this copayment, but this would need to be checked on an individual basis.

What are the requirements for Medicare Part A coverage?

You have been admitted to a Medicare certified SNF within 30 days after a hospital stay of at least three nights, AND you require nursing and/or skilled rehabilitation services which must be performed by licensed professionals. 

What items and services are covered by Medicare Part A?

Payment to the SNF includes room and board, nursing services, prescription medicines as ordered by the physician, routine laundry service, meals and snacks, social services, activities, routine personal hygiene items which are required to meet your needs, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, respiratory therapy, laboratory, EKG, air fluidized therapy, radiology, and certain medical supplies, such as oxygen, syringes, colostomy bags, urological supplies, etc.

Are the benefits the same under a Medicare Managed Care Plan?

Radius participates as a provider of skilled care and services under most, but not all Medicare Managed Care Plans.  If you participate in one of the plans in which we participate, the plan's requirements for eligibility for Medicare payments, deductibles, and co-insurance vary.  For example, your plan may not require your admission to one of our facilities within 30 days after a hospital stay of at least three nights.

What are some items not included in the Medicare A rate?

Some items not included but not all inclusive are beauty and hair services provided by a beautician or barber, dry cleaning, non-medical transportation, clothing, discretionary personal comfort or preference items, long distance telephone calls, private duty nursing, etc.

What are Advanced Directives?

They are written statements made in advance of a serious illness that states the individual's choices for health care decision making in the event the becomes unable to make his/her own decisions.  In Massachusetts, the Health Care Proxy has been designated as the legally recognized document for making Advance Directives. Residents are not required to execute an advanced directive as a condition of admission or treatment in a Radius facility.