Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH)’s Transitional Care Unit (TCU), a specialized short-term rehabilitation division, is among the elite 19% of skilled nursing facilities in the country to earn a “high performing” rating from U.S. News & World Report. The hospital was granted a rating of five – the highest possible achievement – in the online news magazine’s 2024 Best Nursing Homes report, which profiled more than 15,000 skilled-nursing facilities across the nation. In addition to NWH, Mather Hospital, the only other Northwell Health facility with a TCU, also earned a spot on the distinguished list.
Northern Westchester Hospital’s 12-bed TCU features skilled nursing and comprehensive rehabilitation services to aid patients with a seamless transition back to their residence after they no longer require hospital care. Patients, who stay from five to 20 days depending on their recovery progress, often include those who have undergone surgery or are recuperating from acute medical events. They have access to all the medical specialties and diagnostic procedures available at the hospital.
“Our TCU distinguishes itself through patient-centered care, cutting-edge practices and a compassionate approach — three pillars of our hospital’s commitment to providing exceptional health care experiences and fostering a healing environment to our patients” said Catherine Manley-Cullen, RN, NEA-BC, associate executive director of patient care services and chief nursing officer at NWH. “This recognition from U.S. News & World Report solidifies our TCU as a standout leader, which provides unparalleled support for patients on their journey to recovery.”
The rating for short-term rehabilitation care, which designates facilities as high performing, average or below average, is based on U.S. News & World Report’s assessment of 10 quality measures focused on staffing, clinical outcomes, resident satisfaction and process of care. Iit uses scientific literature review, discussions with industry experts and statistical modeling to select these measures.
The report also showed that 67.5% of the patients at NWH’s TCU were able to return home after discharge, compared to 49.5% of TCUs in New York and 53.7% nationally. While no patients at NWH’s TCU experienced a fall with a major injury, such as a bone fracture, 0.7% of patients in New York and 0.9% of patients nationally, who stayed in a comparable facility, have experienced that type of trauma. In addition, only 15.5% of patients required rehospitalization during their stay, as opposed to 19.6% of patients in New York and 22.5% of patients nationwide.
According to a recent analysis by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the transitional care model effectively reduces rates of readmissions and reduces costs for healthcare systems.
NWH is nationally recognized for its medical expertise and person-centered care. U.S. News & World Report rated the hospital as high performing in 10 specialties and conditions, including geriatrics, COPD, hip fracture, pneumonia, stroke, pulmonology and lung surgery, heart failure, kidney failure, neurology and neurosurgery. NWH holds a Magnet designation for nursing excellence and is the only hospital in the world to be awarded the prestigious Planetree Person-Centered Care Gold Certification with Distinction six consecutive times. In addition, the hospital earned a top ‘A’ rating for patient safety from the national nonprofit Leapfrog Group for spring and fall 2023.
