MASSENA – St. Lawrence Health announced that Massena Hospital (MH) officially received Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status with Swing Bed approval.

The letter, notified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, dated March 21, stated the CAH transition went into effect on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023.

“This is a federal designation providing rural hospitals cost-based reimbursement for Medicare services.

The status is anticipated to provide MH considerable improvements toward our financial solvency and has long been in the works. With this change to a CAH, there will be no changes to the services we currently provide or to the number of patient beds we have.

This has been a seamless transition for our community and patients,” noted MH Associate Chief Operating Officer Brent Bishop.

St. Lawrence Health President Donna McGregor said this transition marks and important step in the future sustainability for Massena Hospital.

“The CAH designation ensures the essential services provided by MH will be maintained, and promotes the Hospital’s financial sustainability and its viability of moving forward,” she said.

“St. Lawrence Health’s Gouverneur Hospital received CAH status in June 2013, and they have received national recognition as a top Critical Access Hospital. The MH team will look to their Gouverneur colleagues to help identify and adopt best practices with successful outcomes,” McGregor said.

In receiving Swing Bed approval, patients who no longer need 24-hour nursing attention, but need help getting back to optimum function, can now receive this hospitalized care in Massena, as well as at Gouverneur Hospital.

A coordinated team of providers, nurses, technologists, and nurse aides develop an individualized plan for each patient in the Swing Bed program. A social worker/case manager further assists patients and their families with discharge planning dependent on the patient’s needs.

“Our neighborhood is now actively utilizing our Cardiac Rehabilitation center, has access to Swing Bed care, and will be seeking assistance through our Wound Care Center that is opening in April,” he stated.

“As Massena Hospital continues to move forward with its growth initiatives and seeks future opportunities, we will keep the community updated,” Mr. Bishop said.

Learn more about services offered through Massena, Gouverneur, and Canton-Potsdam hospitals by visiting https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/.