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Subacute Program Becomes Alden at Fort HealthCare

Friday, March 18, 2011

The board of directors of Fort HealthCare announced recently that an agreement has been made with Alden at Fort HealthCare regarding the Subacute Care Center located at Fort Memorial Hospital.  Under the agreement, Alden will lease the physical space that houses the program and take over day to day operations of the program. This agreement becomes effective on or about May 1, pending approvals by the State of Wisconsin.

The Subacute Care Center provides short-term inpatient skilled nursing and rehabilitative services for patients who require less than acute hospital care. Subacute care is generally more intensive, in terms of rehabilitation therapies, than traditional nursing home care. The program was recently surveyed by the State of Wisconsin and the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services and was deemed citation-free. Re-certification surveys occur on an annual basis and allow for continued participation in the federal Medicare program.

Founded in 1971, Alden has 38 sites throughout the Chicago area, Rockford and southern Wisconsin including Alden Estates of Countryside in Jefferson. These include 21 rehabilitation and health care centers, seven independent senior living facilities, five special needs facilities, three assisted living communities and two Alzheimer’s residential centers. Services range across the continuum— from independent retirement communities and assisted living to skilled nursing and rehabilitation for people, both seniors and young adults, with more intensive health care and therapy requirements along with specialized care for the memory impaired.

The Subacute program at Fort Memorial Hospital is a critically important service with very high customer satisfaction among patients.  Many hospital and surgical patients transferred to Subacute have enjoyed the high quality nursing and rehabilitation care and have safely returned to home or avoided placement in a long term care facility.

Michael Wallace, President and CEO of Fort HealthCare believes the decision to have Alden deliver short term rehabilitation and nursing care at Fort Memorial Hospital is an excellent opportunity.  “It is leadership’s ongoing responsibility to evaluate the long-term viability of individual programs and services. It is also leadership’s responsibility to assure that the right services are offered in the most appropriate manner and by the most appropriate provider.” Wallace believes that Alden’s long history delivering rehabilitation services and senior care in many facilities across Illinois and Wisconsin will assure that the high standard of care provided by Fort HealthCare staff will be continued. Subacute staff will become Alden employees and continue in their roles on the unit after Alden receives a license to operate.”

The type of partnership that will exist between Alden and Fort HealthCare is becoming increasingly common throughout healthcare as other companies that have developed their own core competencies can often provide highly specialized staff, advanced technical capabilities and improved operating efficiencies through affiliation and contractual relationships. 

“For years, we have enjoyed excellent partnerships with Aramark for environmental and facilities maintenance, Rainbow Hospice, the University of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center, Dean/St. Mary’s, UW Health and a host of vendors to deliver countless services that exist outside our core capabilities,” said Kay Wipperfurth, Vice President, Ancillary and Support Services.  “We are especially pleased to have Alden join this list.”Fort HealthCare is indebted to the people of our communities and must uphold the promise of our mission to improve the health and well-being of our community,” added Wallace.  “Therefore, when it has been determined that this organization cannot best provide a needed service, it is our responsibility to assure that the service remains available locally.  We believe Alden is the best organization with the most appropriate resources, incentives and inherent ability to better serve our patients now and in the future.”

Fort HealthCare is an integrated hospital and health system that attracts patients throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Fort Memorial Hospital is a modern, fully accredited, acute and sub-acute care facility with 110 licensed beds. More than 100 physicians are on staff. Fort Medical Group, a subsidiary of Fort HealthCare, currently employs more than 50 physicians, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare providers.  Fort Medical Group clinics offering primary and specialty surgical care are located in Fort Atkinson, Cambridge, Edgerton, Elkhorn, Johnson Creek, Jefferson, Lake Mills, Stoughton and Whitewater. Other services offered by Fort HealthCare include occupational medicine, rehabilitation and sports medicine, wound care, urgent care, home health, a preferred provider network for employers known as FortCare, and more.  Fort HealthCare is a partner in the UW Cancer Center Johnson Creek.  Most major health insurance products are accepted.  For more information, please go to www.FortHealthCare.com.