Scott’s Road to Recovery with Swing Bed

Scott Stewart, 71, of Iola Kansas, is known in his community for his voice. For more than 20 years, he was a calm presence who dispatched first responders during emergencies. For years, he's guided others through difficult moments.

But when Scott had surgery to remove the lower part of his leg, he turned to the experts at his hometown hospital to help him through a challenging recovery.  

“A surgeon in Wichita ran several tests and finally told me that my ankle joint had deteriorated to the point it was no longer usable,” Scott says. “He said they could do other surgeries on my foot and ankle, but I could still lose my leg.”  

Scott and his wife, Elaine, were faced with a big decision and opted for the amputation surgery.  

“With my diabetes, removing my leg just below the knee gave me the best chance to heal and for me to walk again,” Scott says.

Scott underwent surgery at a hospital two hours away from his home, far from his family and friends. After recovering in the hospital for several days, Scott was ready to be discharged but still needed support, including wound care and intensive physical therapy, to build his strength and regain mobility.  

Rather than stay at an inpatient rehab facility away from his support system, Scott was able to continue his recovery in a swing bed transitional care program, where he would receive expert care only a short drive from his home.  

Swing bed care offers skilled-level nursing care and short-term inpatient rehabilitation, helping patients like Scott who need more time to heal and regain their strength before going home. A patient can transition to swing bed care if they have a qualifying acute-level hospital stay and would continue to benefit from daily skilled nursing care or rehab.  

Knowing this, Scott's daughter-in-law, Rachel, advocated for his referral to the swing bed program at Allen County Regional Hospital, where she works as an occupational therapy assistant.

“I came home to Allen County Regional Hospital, which was much more comfortable because I’ve been a patient before, and I know most of the people who work here,” Scott says. “They really did a magnificent job for me.” 

How swing bed care supported Scott

Swing bed services are personalized to each patient, depending on their conditions and needs.  

Patients with rehabilitation needs like Scott can work closely with physical or occupational therapists twice daily, Monday through Friday, with sessions ranging from 30 minutes to one hour.  

Hospitalists oversee patient care and are on site daily. Patients also have access to 24/7 skilled nursing care and may see up to five medical professionals per day for treatment.

“For patients who are at hospitals in the city, swing bed is a good bridge program," says Drew Mueller, a physical therapist at Allen County Regional Hospital. “Rather than having to stay in a facility far from family, they can come closer to home while still getting great care.”

Drew has enjoyed working with Scott, tracking his progress from his swing bed admission through his transition to outpatient therapy. Drew even helped Scott learn how to walk again using his prosthetic leg.

“Scott is awesome, a jokester, and a good storyteller, so you're always in for a good story,” says Drew. “He's also one of those guys whose mindset is ‘I'm here to get better, so let's do it.’”

For Drew, helping familiar faces in the community is one of the most fulfilling parts of the job.

“That’s why we get into rehab—the joy of seeing people get back to things that they love,” says Drew. “I don't know if there's much more rewarding work you can do besides getting someone back to things, people, or animals that they love.”

Recovering close to home

Knowing her husband was in good hands, Elaine proceeded with a knee replacement surgery that had been scheduled for some time. After surgery, she, too, came to Allen County Regional Hospital for therapy.  

“Rachel would bring me to the hospital with her in the morning,” Elaine says. “I'd walk down the hall to see Scott, come back for my physical therapy session, and then go see Scott again. All that walking probably helped my knee heal faster.”

The couple would spend hours hanging out in his room, having lunch, and sometimes going down the hall to visit other patients they were acquainted with.  

“It was just a very nice, comfortable environment for both of us,” she says.  

One of Scott’s care team members even arranged for a very special visitor.  

“They’d wheel me outside so I could sit and hold our little dog, Katie, for a while,” Scott says. “She’d get so excited, and I dare say both of us felt better. It was very therapeutic.”  

After discharge, Scott came back to the hospital two to three days a week for outpatient therapy, continuing his progress with the same team of therapists who'd been with him from the beginning.

Today, Scott is back to doing all the things he enjoys most. He's able to drive again and often spends weekends going to auctions and yard sales with Elaine, finding unique items to restock their booths at several area flea markets.

The couple also stays busy with their four granddaughters, rarely missing a softball game or dance competition, and celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary this year.

“I received excellent treatment and would recommend swing bed to anybody,” Scott says. “They just couldn’t have done a better job taking care of me.”

Allen County Regional Hospital in Iola and Anderson County Hospital in Garnett, Kansas offer swing bed care. A patient can transition to our swing bed program if they have a qualifying hospital stay and continue to experience debilitating weakness or require specialized nursing care, such as wound care, respiratory therapy, or intravenous (IV) therapy. Learn more about swing bed care in Iola and Garnett.