Exciting New Venture Between Christian Helth Care Center and Valley Hospital ... Newly Created Position Reduces Hospital Readmission Rate

Christian Health Care Center (CHCC) in Wyckoff is undertaking another exciting new venture with The Valley Hospital. A newly created innovative model of care, a Transitional Advanced Practice Nurse (APN), has been established to be shared by CHCC and Valley Home Care. This is among many strong and strategic partnerships with The Valley Hospital that will ultimately improve our community’s health care. This newly created role is being filled by Linda Dillman, APN, and her primary responsibility is to help patients navigate the transition between The Valley Hospital, The David F. Bolger Post-acute Care Unit at CHCC, and ultimately back home, overseeing the whole continuum of care. An APN has a master’s degree in nursing with advanced knowledge and skills in the care of older adults.

The goal of this position is to prevent readmission to the hospital for high-risk patients who have diagnoses of chronic illnesses. Ms. Dillman collaborates with the patients’ physician in the implementation of specific protocols for patients with congestive heart failure, pneumonia, and acute myocardial infarction. Additionally, she provides patient pre-assessment in the hospital and post-assessment in the rehabilitation unit.

“Ms. Dillman empowers the patients and/or their families to manage their chronic illness,” said Peter Peterson, LNHA, CHCC Heritage Manor Nursing Home/Southgate Vice President/Administrator. “She will provide them with the tools they need to be more independent.”

Ms. Dillman’s duties include providing patient and family education and support, staff education, monitoring patients’ health status, and evaluating the needs of the staff, and giving them a comfort level for caring for patients with these chronic illnesses. She works closely with Valley Hospital and Valley Home Care. Transitions in health status are monitored closely by Ms. Dillman to improve communication, patient care, and clinical outcomes, specifically focusing on             hospital readmissions.

Ms. Dillman has been a geriatric nurse practitioner for nearly 30 years and has experience in primary care, nursing home, and home care. She earned a bachelor of arts degree from Ithaca College, a bachelor of science in nursing degree from Cornell New York Hospital School of Nursing, and a master of science in nursing from Hunter Bellevue School of Nursing in New York City. 

CHCC provides a broad continuum of high-quality, compassionate care, offering superior mental-health, elder-care, residential living, and rehabilitation services. As a non-profit organization,             we deliver care to our community based upon the Christian principles on which we were founded more than a century ago.

                        For more information, visit ChristianHealthCare.org.