National Health Foundation (NHF) is set to open its third recuperative care center in San Gabriel Valley in October. The site joins two others already operating in Los Angeles and Orange counties, which have been set in converted motels to house patients transitioning from acute care treatment. A grand opening event will be held at the new San Gabriel Valley location to acquaint area hospitals with the program.

The Recuperative Care program aims to provide hospitals a discharge option for homeless patients who are not sick enough to remain in the hospital, but too sick for a shelter. The availability of recuperative care beds answers the needs of homeless patients who are otherwise kept in the hospital for up to four extra days to allow for full recuperation from injury or illness.  Hospitals participate in the program with a letter of agreement with NHF.

NHF, an independent, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to improving and enhancing the health care of the underserved, began its recuperative care program in 2008, in part as a response to the challenges hospitals faced in treating homeless patients post hospitalization. Today, both patients and hospitals benefit from the unique program design. Nearly 1,500 homeless patients have been admitted to the program from private hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange counties; 44 percent were discharged to some form of housing option; and only 11 percent were readmitted to the hospital. Hospitals have so far saved more than $11 million.

The homeless population in LA County has gone up from 51,000 to 58,000 at last count. Homeless patients who are attached to the geographic center of the San Gabriel Valley will get a quiet, stable recovery setting, healthy meals, connections to vital social services and housing, and a supportive community atmosphere. They obtain basic medical oversight and are connected with necessary supportive services and housing options. An average length of stay at recuperative care has been 11 days.

Beyond the cost savings, the NHF recuperative care programs offer unique administrative procedures that create a successful program. The program not only lowered the daily cost of care for homeless patients by almost 90 percent, most get placement notification within four hours, and the length of stay is established up front.

For more information, visit http://www.nhfca.org/Recup/Home.aspx.

Contact: Elizabeth Yang
(213) 538-0769, eyang@nhfca.org