Beebe Healthcare Announces Opening of Advanced Care Clinic in Long Neck
Beebe Healthcare is proud to announce the opening of an Advanced Care Clinic, planned for mid-December. This clinic, based at Beebe’s Long Neck location, will offer comprehensive services for patients after a hospital stay, including follow-up care, coordination of community resources, behavioral health services, and palliative care consultation.
The clinic is staffed by care coordinators and nurse practitioners who serve as the next stop after hospitalization at Beebe Healthcare in Lewes. This clinic’s mission is to make sure all patients’ needs are being met and follow-up services are coordinated.
“As a care coordinator, I strive for wellness and happiness in our patients. From helping to address medical questions and concerns from a hospital visit, to connecting community resources with our patients, we play a key role in maximizing the health and well-being of the individuals in our community,” said Andy Brittingham, one of the care coordinators who will be based at the clinic.
In many cases, patients who are discharged from the hospital may be instructed to see a care provider within three to seven days. If the patient doesn’t have a physician or if he or she can’t get in to see a physician, the Advanced Care Clinic team will be able to bridge the gap from the hospital stay to a time when the patient will see a primary care physician.
“This is a very exciting time for Beebe Healthcare and the addition of our Advanced Care Clinic really aims to fill a gap in care that currently exists, by ensuring that all of our patients have follow-up care immediately after discharge,” said Megan Williams, DNP, FNP, Executive Director of Population Health at Beebe. “The time after discharge is a very high-risk period when people can be vulnerable and do need comprehensive support to assure superior outcomes. This Advanced Care Clinic takes a very comprehensive approach.”
The Advanced Care Clinic provides care for patients transitioning out of Beebe’s Medical Center (inpatient), short-term observation hospital units, and from the Emergency Department. Clinic medical providers work with patients to provide quick follow-up with a medical team after they leave the hospital. These services aim to connect patients with medical care after their hospital stay and often before they are able to be seen by a primary care provider. Research has shown that clinics like this help reduce continued illnesses, prevent patients from being readmitted to the hospital, and improve outcomes.
Because of its affiliation with Beebe, the Advanced Care Clinic is able to access hospital records and provide a seamless transition following hospital discharge. Care coordinators work with a patient’s healthcare providers and organizations in the community to help connect our patients with community and social services to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. In addition, the Advanced Care Clinic offers a variety of behavioral health services to teach, encourage, coach, and support our patients to make healthy choices, to cope more effectively, and to become an active member of their treatment team. Palliative Care consultations and long-term planning information are also offered at the Advanced Care Clinic.
Beebe’s Population Health team has been working closely with patients and community organizations for years. In the past, the care coordination team has been able to connect both residents and visitors to Sussex County with the health resources they needed.
The Advanced Care Clinic is at Beebe’s Long Neck location at 32060 Long Neck Road, Millsboro, DE 19966. For more information or to make an appointment (starting after December 14), call (302) 645-3150.