For those children who are able to live at home, but still require a level of medical and rehabilitative care that cannot be met by their school or outpatient program, Blythedale offers a Day Hospital. The Day Hospital Program at Blythedale Children's Hospital provides a nurturing environment where children with various special medical needs can receive daily medical supervision and nursing care, and have their needs for physical, occupational and speech therapies met, all while returning home at the end of the day.
Each child's program is individualized to address their unique medical, psychological and therapeutic needs. In addition, every child is assigned a social worker to provide family support and case management. As necessary, ongoing psychosocial support and counseling, and case management are provided. Services for school-age children are provided in conjunction with a full academic program under the auspices of the Mount Pleasant-Blythedale Union Free School District. Preschoolers, from birth through age five, also receive services through the Early Childhood Center.
Admission Policies
Children with various medical problems may be appropriate for admission to the Blythedale Day Hospital Program, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Various orthopedic conditions, including post-surgery where intensive rehabilitation is required
- Medical conditions that require daily medical and nursing supervision, such as those receiving chemotherapy treatment
- Traumatic brain injury
- Metabolic disorders
- Pulmonary disorders (including ventilator dependent children)
Referrals
Referrals may come from various sources: hospitals, physicians, school districts, parents and managed care organizations.
A child will be considered appropriate for admission to the Day Hospital Program when the child does not need to be hospitalized, but the child's medical/therapy needs cannot be addressed safely and effectively in an outpatient or community setting.
In order to assure the appropriateness of the admission to Blythedale's Day Hospital Program, copies of the most recent medical summary and therapy notes are required.
Ongoing Review of Treatment
Treatment goals and a projected length of stay are established for each child upon admission. Each child's preliminary treatment plan is reviewed within a month of admission. Each child's goals, progress, and plans for discharge are evaluated regularly by the Day Hospital Program's interdisciplinary treatment team. Parent conferences are scheduled periodically to review the child's progress, discharge plans and any concerns that the staff or parent(s) may have.
Services Covered
A comprehensive array of services is provided to Day Hospital patients, generally through a flat-rate daily charge. As previously noted, full school academics are provided through the Mount Pleasant-Blythedale Union Free School District. Transportation is generally provided by the home school district.
Discharge Policies
Discharge from the Day Hospital Program will occur when the child's medical/therapy needs can be addressed safely and effectively in an outpatient or community setting.
Discharge from the Day Hospital Program may also occur when the child and/or family does not comply with the protocols of treatment.
Discharge planning for Day Hospital Program patients is ongoing and coordinated to the extent practicable with school placement. Where the patient has been referred to the Day Hospital Program from Blythedale's inpatient program, the discharge planning, begun during the child's inpatient stay, will continue.
As necessary, discharge planning will include: arranging for school placement, follow-up medical appointments, counseling services and ongoing social service contacts. As part of the Hospital's treatment and discharge planning activities, every effort will be made to address the child's psychosocial situation.
Patient Diagnoses
- Cancer
- Cardiac Disease
- Cerebral Palsy
- Chronic Pain Syndromes
- Genetic Diseases
- Guillain Barré
- Hematologic Disorders: Hemophilia, Sickle Cell Anemia
- Intracranial Hemorrhage
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Renal Disease
- Rheumatologic Disorders
- Spina Bifida/Meningomyelocele
- Stroke
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Ventilator Dependent with tracheostomy
Program Services:
Medical and Nursing Care
- Medical supervision including acute or emergent intervention and medical specialty consultations where indicated
- Administration of medications including nebulizer treatments
- Catheterization
- Dressings
- Feeding
- Gastrostomy feedings
- Intravenous infusions
- Pain assessment
- Phlebotomy and laboratory evaluation
- Skin Care
- Suctioning
- Toileting
- Vital sign monitoring
Rehabilitation
- Physiatry management, coordination of all rehabilitative services, management of medication (including intrathecal baclofen), and acute intervention as indicated
- Prosthetic and orthotic evaluation
- Physical Therapy including adjunctive programs (biking, walking, pool, standing, biofeedback)
- Occupational Therapy including adjunctive programs (power wheelchair, technology, cognitive group, feeding)
- Speech therapy including augmentative communication, feeding, cognitive group
- Functional electrical stimulation in all domains
- Equipment monitoring and ordering
Respiratory Intervention
Social Services/Case Management
Nutrition
- Evaluation and monitoring
- Provision of meals
Psychiatry/Psychology
- Crisis intervention
- Group therapy
- Management of medication (as needed)
- Psycho-educational testing
Child Life
For further information about the Day Hospital Program, please contact Dr. Newman at (914) 592-7555.
