Medical/Surgical Unit

The Medical-Surgical Unit of Valley Regional Hospital (VRH) is here to meet the community's healthcare needs by providing excellent medical and nursing care in a clean and comfortable environment. Our dedicated professional staff on the Medical-Surgical Unit consists of registered and licensed practical nurses, licensed nurse's aides and other ancillary professionals such as physical and occupational therapists, speech pathologist, dietitian, case managers, social workers, respiratory therapists and pharmacists. We come together as an interdisciplinary team to make every patient's hospital experience the very best. Health Unit Coordinators provide indirect patient care that supports the unit's clerical needs.

We encourage our patients to become actively involved in their treatment and discharge plans. By involving the patient and family from the very beginning of hospitalization, we establish a unique partnership and common goals to return the patient to an optimum level of health and function.

Valley Regional Hospital is also proud to provide an onsite Hospitalist Program. Our hospitalist is a general internist, a physician who is specifically trained to care for all hospitalized patients during their stay on the Medical/Surgical and Critical Care Units. Our hospitalist cares for all of the patients of the Associates in Medicine practice and provides consultation at the request of all other practices whose patients are hospitalized here. Having the responsibility to visit with patients and their families frequently throughout the day and being readily available to consult with team members, our hospitalist provides an invaluable service to our patients.

The following levels of care are provided on our 16-bed Medical-Surgical Unit:

• Acute Care:
  This means you are admitted to the hospital and there is an expectation that you will remain at least overnight (and most often 24 hours or more) for treatment rendered for an acute illness. This includes the care of the younger population (pediatrics) to the older population (geriatrics).
• Treatment Room Care:
  A space and/or bed is provided for outpatient care in which a treatment is rendered (such as a blood transfusion) and the patient returns home within a short period of time on the same day.
• Swing Bed Care:
  Also known as "Skilled Nursing Facility" (SNF): We provide short-term skilled care to assist in the transitioning of patients from the acute inpatient to home, another nursing care facility or rehabilitative center. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy is commonly provided along with nurses teaching the skills necessary for a safe discharge.
• Observation Status:
  This is considered an outpatient level of care that allows the physician to perform medical tests and provide medical care in the hospital setting while trying to determine if there is a need for more extensive in-hospital services (acute inpatient) or if discharge with further care provided as an outpatient is appropriate. Most insurance companies recognize this status covered under an insured's outpatient benefit. It is important for patients to bring their routine medications with them in their original containers so that we can continue their treatment regimen while on Observation status.
• Telemetry Monitoring:
  Is when we need to monitor your heart. This is provided to patients in all areas of the Medical-Surgical Unit.