By Joe Brady, Editor – The Sylvania Times
After nearly two decades of dedicated service with Ogeechee Hospice, Brenda Waters, a proud Screven County native, has returned to her roots as the new case manager at Optim Medical Center-Screven. Waters, who previously spent 19 years working with Ogeechee Hospice, now assumes the vital role of liaison between the hospital and patients.
In her new position, Waters oversees a diverse range of services, from the Swing Bed Program to patient therapy. Reflecting on the transition from hospice care, Waters remarked, “This is a whole new spectrum from hospice. These patients are trying to heal and eventually resume their lives. I am helping patients get better.” With a nursing career spanning back to 1981, Waters has accumulated experience in various healthcare settings, including physician’s offices, nursing homes, and even a stint as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
A two-time breast cancer survivor, Waters is not only a seasoned healthcare professional but also a mother of two and grandmother of five. She cited spending more time with her family as a primary motivator for making this career move. “Although it is like coming home. Many of these people I have worked with before. The patients are my friends, family, and neighbors,” Waters explained, expressing the familial connection she feels within the community.
One of the notable programs at Optim Medical Center-Screven is the Swing Bed Program, which has been a valuable service since its inception in rural America during the 1970s. The program allows rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) with a Medicare provider agreement to transition patients from acute care to Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) care without requiring them to leave the hospital.
Medicare Part A covers post-hospital extended care services furnished in a swing-bed hospital. Waters emphasized the importance of understanding the patient’s story beyond what is written in black and white. “What’s written in black and white doesn’t tell a patient’s whole story. You have to listen to them; only then do you get the whole picture,” she concluded.
Brenda Waters’ return to Screven County and her role at Optim Medical Center-Screven underscore the significance of local connections in healthcare, where understanding and compassion play pivotal roles in patient care.
