Ascension Seton uses a care management model consistent across its Austin area campuses. Case managers are assigned to inpatients and begin the discharge assessment within 24 to 48 hours of admission. Social workers are available for psychosocial concerns, financial hardship, and advance directive support. Ascension’s faith-based mission means social workers often have strong connections to community-based and charitable resources in addition to standard post-acute referral lists.

Austin has a growing inventory of skilled nursing facilities, though the number per capita is lower than in Houston or Dallas due to Austin’s demographic skew toward younger residents. SNFs are concentrated in north Austin, south Austin, and the Round Rock/Cedar Park suburbs. For patients who need inpatient rehabilitation, Austin has Encompass Health rehabilitation hospitals and various IRF-affiliated programs. The case manager can identify currently available options; a placement specialist can verify real-time bed availability.

Austin’s memory care market has grown significantly in the past decade, with communities in Westlake, Northwest Austin, Cedar Park, Round Rock, and South Austin. Quality and care philosophy vary considerably across communities — some are large and amenity-rich; others are smaller and more intimate. For a patient being discharged directly from the hospital, the key question is whether the memory care community can accept someone coming from an acute care setting, manage any current medical needs, and provide appropriate clinical oversight.

Austin’s population has grown faster than its senior care infrastructure. High-quality SNF and assisted living communities in Austin proper often have limited availability, particularly for Medicare and Medicare Advantage patients who need beds immediately after a hospital stay. Starting the placement search early — or having a placement specialist already engaged before the discharge date is set — makes a significant difference. Families who wait until discharge day sometimes find the best options are full.

Yes. Ascension Seton has a clinical affiliation with Dell Medical School at UT Austin. For complex medical cases, this relationship provides access to academic medicine resources and specialists. Discharge planning for academically managed complex cases may involve more interdisciplinary coordination than standard community hospital discharges. If your family member’s case is being managed by a Dell Medical School subspecialist, ask specifically whether that specialist has input into the discharge plan.

Ascension Seton case managers handle Medicare Advantage prior authorization for post-acute care. Most major Texas MA plans consider Ascension Seton in-network. Authorization timelines and day limits vary by plan. Austin’s MA market includes several national carriers and regional Texas plans. Confirm authorization status with the case manager before agreeing to a discharge date, and ask specifically how many days the plan has authorized and what the daily cost will be after those days are exhausted.

Austin has multiple Medicare-certified home health agencies serving Travis County and surrounding areas. Agencies range from large national chains to locally owned providers. Some specialize in specific populations (post-surgical, cardiac, neurological). The case manager can provide referrals; you can request a specific agency. For the Austin market, confirm that the agency serves your specific zip code and neighborhood — Austin’s geography sometimes creates coverage gaps for agencies based in specific parts of the metro.

Yes. Ascension Seton’s social workers and case managers can coordinate hospice referrals for patients with terminal prognoses. Austin has multiple hospice providers, including both non-profit and for-profit operators, offering home hospice, assisted living hospice, and inpatient hospice care. If end-of-life care planning is relevant to your family member’s situation, ask to speak with a social worker and palliative care team as early in the admission as possible — earlier conversations lead to better planning.

Round Rock, Cedar Park, and the Williamson County corridor have expanding post-acute care options including SNFs, assisted living communities, and memory care. The Williamson County senior population has grown rapidly with the area’s broader growth. Ascension Seton Williamson case managers have good local knowledge of Round Rock and Cedar Park options. For families in Georgetown, Liberty Hill, or Leander, options may require looking both locally and toward the greater Austin market.

Erika works throughout Central Texas and knows the Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Georgetown senior care markets. She can identify available, appropriate SNF, assisted living, and memory care options, arrange tours on short notice, and coordinate admissions when the hospital sets a discharge date. Her services are always free to families.