Hospital care and referrals
Considering a stay at Lakeview
You can speak with Lakeview Admissions before deciding where to go. Bring the questions that matter to your family, whether they concern the care team, insurance or what a day here would look like.
1. What is a long-term acute care hospital?
A long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) treats people who still need hospital care after the first phase of a serious illness or injury. At Lakeview, physicians see LTACH patients daily, and nurses provide care around the clock. Respiratory therapists, pharmacists, wound specialists and rehabilitation staff work with the medical team as the person’s needs change.
2. Why move from the hospital where treatment began?
The first hospital may have stabilized the illness that brought your loved one to intensive care. Breathing support, treatment for infection or a complex wound can still require weeks of hospital care. Before deciding on a move, ask the treating team which part of intensive care can end, what still requires a hospital and why transfer is safe now.
3. Why might our care coordinator suggest Lakeview?
A coordinator may request a review when your loved one needs ongoing medical decisions and several treatments that must work together. For example, a person may need ventilator support and dialysis while starting to regain strength. Lakeview Admissions reviews the actual orders and recent progress to determine whether our Waterford team can provide the care needed.
4. What kinds of patients does Lakeview review?
Examples include adults who need help coming off a ventilator, tracheostomy care, complex wound treatment, extended IV antibiotics or dialysis alongside other medical needs. Some people also have a brain injury or several affected organs. A diagnosis alone cannot determine the right setting. Tell the liaison what help the person needs over a typical day and night.
5. How do long-term acute care, inpatient rehabilitation and skilled nursing differ?
Long-term acute care centers on continued hospital treatment. Inpatient rehabilitation combines medical oversight and nursing with intensive therapy for people ready to participate. A skilled nursing facility may be appropriate when ongoing nursing and therapy can be provided there. Ask each setting how it would manage the same current orders and the same daily activities.
PATIENTS AND FAMILIES / ADMISSIONS AND RECOVERY
Planning the stay and what comes next
6. How does admission work?
You, a physician or a hospital case manager can contact Lakeview Admissions. A clinical liaison reviews the medical history, recent notes, current orders and available therapy evaluations, and may assess the person in the sending hospital. If the level of care fits, the teams work through insurance review, acceptance and transport. Ask who will confirm the move and update your family if timing changes.
7. Will insurance cover the stay?
Admissions checks benefits and obtains authorization when required. Coverage and personal costs depend on the plan, the proposed service and the individual decision. Ask which level of care was requested, whether approval is still pending and how to obtain a written estimate. For a Lakeview cost estimate, call the main hospital at (262) 534-7297 and ask for Patient Financial Services.
8. Will my current hospital doctor continue to care for me?
Lakeview provides daily physician management on the LTACH unit. Whether a particular outside physician will remain involved needs to be confirmed for your stay. Before transfer, ask who will direct care at Lakeview, how the sending team will share treatment plans and pending results, and who will update your usual physician and the family contact you choose.
9. What therapy is available, and when can it begin?
Physical, occupational and speech-language therapy are available at Lakeview. The team considers your medical condition, what you can safely tolerate and the activities you want to regain. Ask when your first assessment is planned and what is safe to practice today. Sitting up, getting dressed or communicating a choice may be meaningful early goals. The timing and intensity are individual.
10. Where do people go after Lakeview?
The next setting depends on the treatment still needed, progress with daily activities and the support available at home. Options may include inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, supported residential living or home with appropriate services and outpatient follow-up. Ask your case manager what must be in place before discharge, who will arrange equipment or training and whom to call if the plan changes.
Discuss a referral or arrange a tour · Admissions (262) 534-8509
1701 Sharp Rd., Waterford, WI 53185 · www.lakeviewsystem.com/admissions