3 key differences between a nursing home and a hospital
Posted on August 21, 2019
By Dr. Kim Petrone, Medical Director for St. Ann’s Community
Also featured in Democrat & Chronicle
Whether you’re admitted into a hospital or you or a loved one are considering transitioning to a nursing home, here are a few key differences to be aware of when it comes to the care you can expect to receive in both settings.
Cures and treatments
One difference in the care one might receive from a hospital versus a nursing home is that hospital care is aimed at finding a cure. Whether you’re dealing with an illness or an injury, the hospital will work diligently to cure the ailment, and you will be able to leave once the problem has been adequately addressed. On the other hand, a nursing home does not typically cure illnesses. Residents in nursing homes usually do not have acute, singular problems that have a cure. They usually have long-term problems or chronic illnesses that can’t be cured, but they can and will be readily treated and managed by the medical team.
Frequency of provider interaction
While in a hospital, it would be a reasonable expectation to see a medical provider every day. You can expect to see a physician, a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner at least once a day, and you can expect to see nursing staff almost hourly for a variety of vital sign monitoring and testing. This is quite the opposite in a nursing home setting, where some residents might not see a medical provider for an entire week if they are feeling healthy and doing well medically. Provider visits are significantly less frequent in a nursing home setting, as the goal, again, is not to cure but to maintain dignity and quality of life. The primary goal of nursing home care is to maximize those good, healthy days and minimize the days of testing and undergoing medical procedures.
Length of stay
The length of stay you can expect from a hospital starkly contrasts with what a nursing home stay constitutes. A hospital will usually keep a patient until their illness or injury has been cured or at least temporarily remedied. Whether that takes a few days, weeks or even months, a hospital will still send you home upon the curing of your ailment. Nursing homes are quite the opposite, as many residents end up living permanently in their new environment. They are free to come and go as they please — or leave entirely to go home or even to a new nursing home — but they are rarely discharged due to the complexity of their medical problems and the amount of care that is needed to treat these problems.
In any health care system, the level of care should match the goals of the patient and the condition that person might be dealing with. It’s important to acknowledge the similarities and differences between these health care systems and align your expectations for care accordingly. Keeping these differences in mind can help you or your loved one decide what level of care is best for you at what time, and ultimately guide you in the right direction on your path to health and wellness.
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Dr. Kim Petrone has been with St. Ann’s Community since 2005. She is the medical director for St. Ann’s Community and for the Rochester Regional Wound Healing Center, an alliance between Rochester Regional Health and St. Ann’s Community. She is board-certified in geriatric medicine and internal medicine, and she is a certified wound specialist. Contact her at [email protected].