Southern Palmetto Hospital

General Acute Care Hospital

An acute general hospital is an institution whose primary function is to provide inpatient diagnostic and therapeutic services for a variety of medical conditions, both surgical and non-surgical, to a wide population group. The hospital treats patients in an acute phase of illness or injury, characterized by a single episode or a fairly short duration, from which the patient returns to his or her normal or previous level of activity.

Medicare Defined Swing Bed Hospital Unit

A unit of a hospital that has a Medicare provider agreement and has been granted approval from HCFA to provide post-hospital extended care services and be reimbursed as a swing-bed unit.