Patient Care Services
Kindred Hospitals use a multidisciplinary team approach to care that helps our patients return to the highest quality of life possible. Our areas of patient care services include:
Diagnostic Imaging
Skilled and certified technicians operate our imaging equipment, and we make every effort to perform the testing in as prompt and as convenient a manner as possible.
Dialysis
Our interdisciplinary team of dialysis specialists includes physicians, nurses, technicians and dietitians who strive to help you meet the challenges of dialysis with comfort and dignity, and continue to live a full, active life.
Direct Admission
For your convenience, our hospital accepts direct admissions from an Extended Care Facility or Skilled Nursing Center.
Geriatric Services
Our interdisciplinary team of geriatric specialists includes physicians, rehabilitation therapists, dietitians and mental-health professionals. Their objective is to help our senior patients live life to its fullest.
Physicians
Medical direction for Kindred Hospital Boston is provided by a team of physicians from five major medical academic institutions in Boston. They include:
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
- Tufts Medical Center
Our approach to treatment involves an interdisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, case managers and dietitians. Working together, our healthcare team and the physicians establish a comprehensive plan of care aimed at restoring and maintaining your family member’s quality of life. Family meetings can be arranged to provide a forum for families and staff to review, and if necessary, modify the patients’ plan of care based on their progress.
Nursing
The department of nursing consists of highly skilled professionals working collaboratively with your physician and healthcare team members to maximize your progress. The leadership of the nursing department is comprised of administration and unit managers with critical care expertise and ACLS certification. This expertise has enabled the nursing staff to provide quality care in a professional and compassionate manner. Care plans are created and implemented through the teamwork of nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, therapists and specialists in other disciplines. Services are provided around the clock to meet each individual’s unique needs.
Respiratory Therapy
The respiratory therapy department provides treatment to patients who may benefit from diagnostic and therapeutic procedures during an acute illness or following extensive hospitalization. Our professional and competent staff consists of registered respiratory therapists and certified respiratory therapy technicians who are on-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Under the direction of a physician, respiratory therapy guides you and your family through the ventilator-weaning process and is responsible for administering inhalant medications such as metered dose inhalers and nebulizer treatments. Diagnostic studies include oxygen saturation monitoring, end tidal CO2, arterial blood gases and bronchoscopy, if indicated.
Radiology
The radiology department plays an important role in diagnosing many illnesses. Advanced equipment technology enables the staff to provide a variety of diagnostic services including X-rays, ultrasounds, and Doppler studies.
Laboratory
Our in-house laboratory staff, under the direction of a physician, is responsible for conducting a wide variety of tests your physician may order. Using our advanced automated instruments, tests are performed accurately and quickly.
Pharmacy
Our experienced staffs of licensed pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are an integral part of the overall patient care team. They prepare medications, provide special dietary supplements, and perform allergy and medication interaction screening, as well as medication education.
Food Services and Nutrition Support
The food service and nutrition department at Kindred Hospital Boston provides specialized nutritional assessments by a team of registered dietitians. These professional dietitians have clinical expertise in meal planning and advanced nutrition support. Working along with the interdisciplinary team, the registered dietitian will develop an individualized diet plan in an effort to optimize the patient’s nutritional status. Nutritional counseling is available for each patient and their family.
Physical Therapy
Our team of licensed physical therapists works with patients who have experienced a decline in functional ability due to disease processes or extensive hospitalization following surgery. Physical therapy focuses on lower extremity strengthening, functional mobility training and ambulating. In collaboration with the respiratory therapist the physical therapy department has created a clinical expertise in the rehabilitation of patients on ventilators and utilization of communication equipment. The physical therapy department is committed to returning patients to their prior level of functioning.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy also works with those patients who have experienced a decline in functional ability due to disease processes or extensive hospitalization following surgery. Treatment focuses on upper extremity strengthening, fine motor and coordination activities, endurance and energy conservation techniques. Our goal for each patient is optimal performance of functional tasks, which refers to day-to-day activities such as bathing, dressing and homemaking skills. Occupational therapy combines its efforts with physical therapy to assist a patient’s transition out of bed in the early stages of mobility.
Speech and Language Pathology
The speech and language pathology department at Kindred Hospital Boston provides diagnostic treatment of speech, language and cognitive disorders as well as oral and pharyngeal swallowing dysfunction. Under close medical supervision speech therapy provides specialized care for patients with tracheostomies as well as those patients who may be candidates for alternative communication devices. The speech therapist evaluates each patient’s swallowing ability and initiates appropriate treatment under close medical supervision.
Case Management
Case Managers at Kindred Hospital Boston are available to you and your family members during your hospitalization. The Case Manager will work closely with you and your family members, as well as with the interdisciplinary team, to coordinate your care and provide discharge planning including referrals to skilled nursing facilities or community agencies, visiting nurse services and medical equipment services for use at home.
Spiritual Needs
Your spiritual health is important to your recovery. Your own religious practitioner (priest, minister, rabbi, etc.) is welcome to visit you. If you wish us to contact someone for you, the Case Manager or Social Worker can help make these arrangements.
Cardio-Pulmonary Care
Cardio-pulmonary care at Kindred Hospital Boston is designed to meet the acute needs of patients with recent changes in their cardiac or pulmonary status. Patients have typically been hospitalized in an acute hospital setting and have completed an intensive diagnostic period of medical treatment. In some cases, patients may have required major surgery.
Building upon the core medical plan of care implemented by a professional staff of physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists are the vital disciplines of rehabilitation therapy with the support of clinical nutritional services. Using input from each of the interdisciplinary team members, a specific plan of care is developed aimed at meeting each patient’s unique needs. Goals for the patient’s recovery are continually assessed, evaluated and modified.
Patients with the following symptoms or conditions may be appropriate for the Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation:
- post-myocardial infarction
- congestive heart failure
- sepsis
- CABG post operative
- arrhythmia
- CAD
- COPD exacerbation
- pneumonia
- lung volume reduction
- lung cancer, medical or post operative
- asthma
- sleep apnea
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Pulmonary Fibrosis
- ventilator dependency
- Bipap
- Hi Flow
Post-Surgical Transplant Care
Kindred Hospital Boston provides comprehensive post-surgical care in conjunction with several area hospitals including Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Tufts Medical Center and Dana Farber Cancer Institute. We provide expert care to the patient who has recently undergone bone marrow or solid organ transplant including liver, kidney and lung. We have capability to manage the transplant patient's unique medical needs and begin restorative therapies. Kindred Hospital Boston's in-house pharmacy provides all the necessary supportive medications as directed by your physician. Our state-of-the-art laboratory is equipped to provide specialized test results and supply special blood products such as fresh frozen plasma, platelets and packed red blood cells.
Other special medical services include:
- Complex Medical Care
- Infectious Disease Management
- Wound Care
- Orthopedic Care
- Post-Surgical Care
- Rehabilitation
- Special Care Unit
- Acute Pulmonary Care
- Acute Cardiac Care
- Pain Management
- Hemodialysis/Renal Failure Care