Plaza Healthcare is committed to give patients the best achievable quality of life. Whether it is to eliminate the need for a trach or offer the patient and their loved ones the education and support for sustained tracheostomy dependent care, Plaza Healthcare has assembled a team of dedicated professionals to assist with any need a patient and/or family may present.

Plaza Healthcare has developed its tracheostomy program alongside its ventilator program so both time and resources are available for in-depth evaluation, comprehensive treatment and close monitoring. Through an interdisciplinary approach, patents are regularly reviewed regarding rehabilitation goals and progress, decannulation capabilities, nutrition and medication management, and family education. In addition to the clinical aspects, Plaza Healthcare’s Activities and Social Services Departments work closely with the trach population to ensure the spiritual, recreational and psychosocial needs of each patient is met.

Dr. Alpa Shah, a Board Certified Physician specializing in Pulmonology with subspecialties in General Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Interventional Pulmonology and Pleural Disease, is Plaza’s Medical Director of Pulmonology. Dr. Shah and her partners round at least three times per week with our Respiratory team and works collaboratively with the patient’s attending physician, other specialists and the Plaza team to ensure an optimal and personalized plan of care is carried out for each patient’s recovery.

Plaza Healthcare’s expertise extends to patients who have a tracheostomy for the following;

• Mechanical ventilator dependence
• Medical conditions that block or narrow an airway such as
• vocal cord paralysis
• tumors such as Cystic Hygroma
• infections, such as Epiglottitis
• congenital abnormalities of the airway
• Subglottic Stenosis
• Tracheobronchomalacia
• Laryngeal injury or spasms
• Severe neck or mouth injuries
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Chronic Pulmonary Disease
• Neuromuscular diseases paralyzing or weakening chest muscles and diaphragm
• Aspiration related to muscle or sensory problems in the throat
• Disorders of respiratory control such a s congenital central hypoventilation or central apnea
• Long-term unconsciousness or coma

Plaza Healthcare provides the following pulmonary specialty services;

• Ventilator Management
• Ventilator Weaning
• Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NPPV)
• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
• Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)
• High-Flow Oxygen (up to 60 liters per minute)
• Tracheostomy Management
• Newly trached patients
• Established tracheostomy patients
• Trach Decannulation
• Chest Percussion Therapy (vest/manual)
• Chest tube management

Tracheostomy (Trach) Management

Prior to arrival to Plaza Healthcare, each tracheostomy patient is reviewed by the Director or Assistant Director of Respiratory Therapy; to become familiar with the person’s history, their current condition, and to ensure the appropriate equipment is set up in the patient’s room.

Immediately upon arrival, the Respiratory Therapist (RT) along with a licensed nurse will perform their initial evaluation and assessments. Based upon this initial evaluation, information from the hospital, the RT’s expertise and consultation with the Pulmonologist and attending physician, each patient’s likelihood of decannulation is determined.

While this determination is continually evaluated throughout a person’s stay, the initial determination is used as the starting point for the patient’s plan of care. Over the next several days, this plan of care is further personalized based on goals discussed with the patient and/or family members, the Pulmonologist and attending physician seeing the patient, and secondary conditions and/or co-morbidities that exist.

Licensed Respiratory Therapists will continually monitor, treat and suction trach patients throughout their stay. The frequency of suctioning is patient specific and may be done multiple times a day or even within an hour depending on the amount of secretions being produced.

The Licensed Respiratory Therapists are trained on all types of trachs, trach sizes, humidification, and supportive equipment and are able to change trachs at the bedside and/or begin the decannulation process once determined by the team to be safe to do so.

Trach Decannulation

While some patients require a permanent trach, most can be decannulated. Decannulation is simply the process whereby a tracheostomy tube is removed once the patient no longer needs it. However, steps leading up to this “simple process” involves multiple disciplines performing several evaluations, consultations, testing, and the expertise of the pulmonology team to ensure a safe and successful decannulation.

Often, trach patients have multiple medical issues that need to be addressed. Some trach patients require dialysis, or extensive Physical and Occupational therapy before decannulation can be considered. While other programs may try to decannulate prematurely, Plaza Healthcare focuses on our patient’s strength and endurance to ensure success.

Plaza reviews its trach program monthly as part of the facility Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Program. Plaza Healthcare can attribute its success which includes an extremely high decannulation rate to this constant evaluation, multidisciplinary approach, and skill level of the care team.

Eating

Having a tracheostomy can affect a patient’s eating or swallowing patterns. For some, it will require a comprehensive evaluation to determine if eating or drinking is achievable. 

Speech Therapy plays an integral role in trach and swallowing management. Speech Therapists will work with a trach patient to retrain and strengthen the muscles necessary in swallowing. Plaza Healthcare’s Speech Therapists are trained in fiberoptic endoscopy evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and use this procedure to assess the safety of a patients swallow. A FEES test can help assess aspiration and choking risk. Based on the FEES result, the Speech Therapist will work with Plaza’s Registered Dietician and the pulmonology team to develop a diet with the safest consistency and nutritional value to maximize a person’s recovery while maintaining a healthy airway.

Speaking 

As with eating, the Speech Therapist will perform an initial evaluation and work in cooperation with the other disciplines to develop a strategy and plan for each patient’s communication needs. Speech Therapy will work with the patient to retrain and strengthen the muscles necessary in speech and voice. The Speech Therapists will work with the patient to find the best way to communicate. Goals may include training to use a speaking valve, strengthening throat muscles to make voice and speech easier, or learning to communicate through non-vocal means.

Respiratory Therapy may indicate for a speaking valve and upon evaluation and pulmonary consultation, the patient will be fitted for the valve and trained on its use. A Passy-Muir speaking valve is commonly used to help patients speak. As some patients may immediately adjust to breathing with the valve in place, others may need to gradually increase the time the valve is worn. Patients may need to build up the strength and ability to use the valve which is part of the on-gong evaluation, observation, and treatment the Respiratory Therapists plan for each individual patient.

Staffing

Licensed Respiratory Therapists are available around the clock, seven days a week to monitor and treat patients. Licensed Nurses who work on the tracheostomy unit are specially trained in the care and unique requirements trach patients can present. In addition, Certified Nursing Assistants must achieve Sub-Acute CNA status prior to being assigned trach patients. This status is achieved by way of extended orientation including additional hours of training and skills checks. Their status is maintained through frequent competency tests and annual evaluations.

Plaza Healthcare partners with Synertx for its rehabilitation services. Part of that partnership’s understanding is facility specific staffing which affords the trach patients to maintain consistency in their therapy by having the same therapist for the entire stay. The Rehabilitation staff is also specially trained on trach care if they have not worked in a similar setting prior to coming to Plaza.

All other departments, at least annually, are in-serviced on the special needs of trach patients. This includes but not limited to; Activities, Social Services, Environmental Services and Administration.

Facilities/Equipment

Plaza Healthcare carries a well-stocked supply of different types of trachs in all sizes, and maintains a supply of like types and sizes by each patient’s bedside for any urgent needs.

Plaza Healthcare has the largest bulk oxygen storage of any skilled nursing facility and multiple redundancies in its suction capabilities so the building’s piped in oxygen and suctioning system will maintain functionality at all times.

The lounges are designed with piped in oxygen and suctioning for those patients wanting to spend time outside their room to either engage in group activities and/or visit with loved ones. Plaza Healthcare’s abundant stock of portable oxygen tanks allows for freedom of movement throughout the building and any of the three courtyards available to patients and their loved ones.

Activities

Remaining as active as possible contributes to a patient’s rehabilitation and recovery. The activity staff encourages participation in all group activities and have the necessary training to identify patient’s requiring suctioning. The Respiratory Department is involved in the patient’s engagement in group activities by utilizing portable suctioning machines for functions and/or outings. Whether it is to attend a special function, or go on an outing to feed ducks or see Christmas lights, a respiratory therapist attends as well to ensure the trach patient can participate safely and confidently.

Plaza Healthcare is dedicated to quality of life, encouraging patients to get out of bed, and live as independently as possible.

Transition of Care

Throughout the entire care program, Plaza Healthcare’s Case Management team is in constant contact with the insurance company regarding the patient progress. In addition, multiple meetings throughout a person’s stay are conducted with the patient and/or responsible party to update those involved of the plan of care, address existing goals, develop strategies for continued coverage for those patients taking longer to recover, and prepare for what hopefully will be a discharge home or to a lower level of care such as an assisted living or board and care.

Plaza Healthcare understands patients move at their own pace through the decannulation process and patients may experience setbacks and frustration if the recovery process is not progressing as well as first expected. Especially during these times it is critical that communication and an understanding of what is taking place is addressed. Plaza staff is always available to address any concerns or questions.

In addition to the Social Services Department, Plaza Healthcare has Psychiatry and Psychological resources available to assist in the psychosocial aspects of trach dependency or the anxiety of a transition home or to an extended period of tracheostomy dependence.

Ventilator Care

Plaza Healthcare is committed to assisting all patients in achieving their best quality of life. Our team of dedicated professionals can assist in weaning individuals from mechanical ventilation, tracheal decannulation and supporting patients requiring sustained mechanical ventilation. 

Plaza Healthcare’s interdisciplinary team critically evaluates each patient to determine the most appropriate plan of care. Our ventilator program offers consistent monitoring and ongoing evaluation allowing for revision of rehabilitation goals and progress, weaning capabilities, nutrition and medication management, and family education. Plaza Healthcare’s Activities and Social Services Departments work closely with the ventilator population to ensure the spiritual, recreational and psychosocial needs of each patient is met.

Dr. Alpa Shah is Plaza’s Medical Director of Pulmonology. She’s the Chief of Staff and Chair of the Division Executive Committee at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center. Dr. Shah is a Board-Certified Physician specializing in Pulmonology with subspecialties in Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Interventional Pulmonology and Pleural Disease. Dr. Shah and her partners round five days per week with our Respiratory team and work collaboratively with the patient’s attending physician and other specialists to ensure a personalized plan of care is carried out for each patient’s recovery.

Plaza Healthcare’s expertise extends to patients who have the following pulmonary issues:

• Mechanical Ventilator Dependence
• Chronic lung diseases including (but not limited to) - COPD, Emphysema, Cystic Fibrosis, Interstitial Lung Disease, Asthma, Bronchiectasis & Pulmonary Fibrosis
• Neuromuscular Disorders including (but not limited to) – Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Myasthenia Gravis, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis
• Acute Respiratory Situations - Pneumonia, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Post-Surgical Complications, Spinal Cord Injury, Encephalopathy

Plaza Healthcare provides the following pulmonary specialty services:

• Ventilator Management & Weaning
• Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NPPV/APRV)
• Non-Invasive Negative Pressure Ventilation (Biphasic Chest Cuirass)
• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
• Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)
• High-Flow Oxygen (up to 60 liters per minute)
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Pulmonary Medication Management
• Tracheostomy Management
• Tracheal Decannulation
• Chest Percussion Therapy (vest)
• Chest tube Management

Ventilator Management/Weaning

Prior to arrival to Plaza Healthcare, each ventilator dependent patient is reviewed by the Director Respiratory Therapy to become familiar with the patient’s history, their current condition, and to ensure the appropriate equipment is set up in the patient’s room.

Immediately upon arrival, the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) along with a licensed nurse will perform their initial evaluation and assessments. While this determination is continually evaluated throughout a person’s stay, the initial determination is used as the starting point for the patient’s plan of care. Over the next several days, this plan of care is further personalized based on goals discussed with the patient and/or family members, the Pulmonologist and attending physician seeing the patient.

The Speech Therapist will also complete an initial evaluation and work in collaboration with the other disciplines to develop a strategy and plan for each patient’s communication needs. Speech Therapy plays an integral role in ventilator weaning. Speech Therapists often work with ventilator patients to retrain and strengthen the muscles necessary for swallowing and speech. Swallow exams allow a Speech Therapist to evaluate a patient’s current abilities, and with the assistance of Plaza’s Registered Dietician, can modify their diet accordingly. Speech Therapists can also help patients find the best way to communicate and goals may include training to use a speaking valve, strengthening throat muscles to make speech and voice easier, or learning to communicate through non-vocal means.

Often, ventilator patients have multiple medical issues that need to be addressed. Some ventilator patients require dialysis, or extensive Physical and Occupational Therapy before weaning can be considered. While other programs may try to wean prematurely, Plaza Healthcare focuses on our patient’s strength and endurance to ensure success.

Plaza reviews its ventilator program monthly as part of the facility Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Program. Plaza Healthcare can attribute its success, which includes an extremely high weaning rate, to this constant critical evaluation, multidisciplinary approach, and advanced skill level of the care team.

Staffing

Licensed Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRT’s) are available around the clock, seven days a week to monitor and treat patients. Licensed Nurses who work on the ventilator unit are specially trained in the care and unique requirements ventilator dependent patients can present. In addition, Certified Nursing Assistants must achieve Sub-Acute CNA status prior to being assigned ventilator patients. This status is achieved by way of extended orientation including additional hours of training and skills checks. Their status is maintained through frequent competency tests and annual evaluations.

Plaza Healthcare has its own in-house therapy team consisting of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy. This collaboration affords the ventilator patients to maintain consistency in their therapy by having the same therapist for the entire stay. The Rehabilitation staff is also specially trained on ventilator care.

Facilities/Equipment

Plaza Healthcare owns its own state-of-the art ventilators. Each Plaza ventilator is capable of both full ventilator support and weaning modes and houses multiple alarm settings and function capability. With a scheduled preventative maintenance program and battery backup, ventilators are constantly in excellent working condition, and able to maintain operable status even in an extended period of power failure.

Plaza Healthcare has the largest bulk oxygen storage of any skilled nursing facility and multiple redundancies in its suction capabilities so the building’s piped in oxygen and suctioning system will always maintain functionality. 

In addition to the ventilators themselves, Plaza Healthcare has a computerized vent alarm monitoring system that alerts staff when an alarm has been sounded. Through a network of room lights, corridor lights, and station computers, staff can immediately recognize what alarm is sounding and respond quickly and appropriately to any patient.

Plaza Healthcare has customized the service rooms to specifically address the needs of ventilator dependent patients. The shower rooms have been remodeled with specially designed half walls and counter overhangs so ventilator patients can have showers without the fear of damage to the ventilator. One shower is designed for gurneys so those patients unable to sit in a chair, are still able to enjoy a shower. Plaza’s investment in specialized lifting devices allow for an easy and safe transition from bed to shower gurney for both the patient and staff.

The lounges are designed with piped in oxygen and suctioning for those patients wanting to spend time outside their room to either engage in group activities and/or visit with loved ones. Plaza Healthcare’s abundant stock of portable oxygen tanks allows for freedom of movement throughout the building and any of the three courtyards available to patients and their loved ones.

Activities

Remaining as active as possible contributes to a patient’s rehabilitation and recovery. The activity staff have developed programs specific for the ventilator population. In addition to multiple in-room activities and at least daily visits from activity staff, the respiratory department is involved in the patient’s engagement in group activities. Whether it is to attend a special function, participate in an art class, or go on an outing to feed ducks, or see Christmas lights, a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) attends as well to ensure the ventilator patient can participate safely and confidently.

Plaza Healthcare is dedicated to quality of life, encouraging patients to get out of bed, and live as independently as possible.

Transition of Care

Patients who are weaned from a vent usually maintain a tracheostomy and focus then shifts to decannulation. See Tracheostomy Care for a detailed description of Plaza Healthcare’s tracheostomy program. 

Throughout the entire care program, Plaza Healthcare’s Case Management team is in constant contact with the insurance company regarding the patient’s progress. In addition, multiple meetings throughout a person’s stay are conducted with the patient and/or responsible party to update those involved of the plan of care, address existing goals, develop strategies for continued coverage for those patients taking longer to recover, and prepare for what hopefully will be a discharge home or to a lower level of care such as an assisted living or board and care.

Plaza Healthcare understands patients move at their own pace through the weaning and decannulation process and residents may experience setbacks and frustration if the recovery process is not progressing as expected. Especially during these times, it is critical that communication and an understanding of what is taking place is addressed. Plaza staff is always available to address any concerns or questions.

In addition to the Social Services Department, Plaza Healthcare has Psychiatry and Psychological resources available to assist in the psychosocial aspects of ventilator dependency or the anxiety of a transition whether it is to home or to an extended period of ventilator dependence.