As of December 31, 2014, NHC operated or managed 74 skilled nursing facilities with a total of 9,462 licensed beds. These numbers included 66 centers with 8,551 beds that it leased or owned and eight centers with 911 beds that it managed for others. Of the 66 leased or owned facilities, 35 were leased from National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI). The Company's five independent living centers (four leased or owned and one managed) have 475 retirement apartments (338 apartments leased or owned, and 137 apartments managed). The Company has a partnership agreement and a 75.1% non-controlling ownership interest in Caris Healthcare, LP (Caris), a business that specializes in hospice care services in NHC owned healthcare centers and in other settings. Caris provides hospice care to over 1,000 patients per day in 25 locations in Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The Company operated specialized care units within certain of its healthcare centers, such as Alzheimer's disease care units, sub-acute nursing units and in-house pharmacies.
Skilled Nursing Facilities
The Company's skilled nursing facilities have medical professionals who provide medical services prescribed by physicians. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants provide nursing care through the day. In brightstar home health reviews addition, the Company's facilities provide licensed therapy services, nutrition services, social services, activities, and housekeeping and laundry services. Average occupancy in the Company's skilled nursing facilities was 88.9% during the year ended December 31, 2014.
Rehabilitative Services
The Company provides therapy services through Professional Health Services, a subsidiary of NHC. The Company's licensed therapists provide physical, speech, respiratory and occupational therapy for patients recovering from strokes, heart attacks, orthopedic conditions, neurological illnesses, or other illnesses, injuries or disabilities. The Company maintained a rehabilitation staff of over 1,600 therapists as of December 31, 2014. The majority of the Company's rehabilitative services are for patients in its owned and managed skilled nursing facilities. However, the Company also provides services to over 80 additional healthcare providers.
Medical Specialty Units
The Company's long-term care facilities participate in the Medicare program. The Company's staff provides care for Alzheimer's patients in early, middle and advanced stages of the disease. The Company offers specialized rehabilitation programs and develops individualized patient care plans.
Managed Care Contracts
The Company contracts with over 60 managed care organizations (MCOs) and insurance carriers for the provision of sub-acute and other medical specialty services by its owned and managed facilities. Managed care patient days were 242,621 in the year ended December 31, 2014.
Assisted Living Centers
The Company's assisted living centers are dedicated to providing personal care services and assistance with general activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, meal preparation and medication management. The Company performs resident assessments to determine what services are desired or required. As of December 31, 2014, the Company's 18 assisted living centers (16 leased or owned and two are managed) had 815 units (708 units leased or owned and 107 units managed). The rate of occupancy was 89.6% during the year ended December 31, 2014.
Independent Living Centers
The Company's four owned or leased and one managed independent living centers offer specially designed residential units for the active and ambulatory elderly and provide various ancillary services for its residents, including restaurants, activity rooms and social areas. Charges for services are paid from private sources without assistance from governmental programs. The Company has, in several cases, developed independent living centers adjacent to its nursing facilities. The Company has one owned retirement center, which is a continuing care community, where the resident pays a substantial entrance fee and a monthly maintenance fee. The resident then receives a range of services, including home health nursing, without additional charge.
Homecare Programs
The Company's home healthcare programs (homecares) assist those who wish to stay at home or in assisted living residences but require some degree of medical care or assistance with daily activities. Registered and licensed practical nurses and therapy professionals provide skilled services, such as infusion therapy, wound care and physical, occupational and speech therapies. As of December 31, 2014, the Company operated 36 homecare programs licensed in four states (Tennessee, South Carolina, Missouri and Florida) and provided 477,323 homecare patient visits to 19,222 patients.
Pharmacy Operations
As of December 31, 2014, the Company operated four regional pharmacy operations (one in east Tennessee, one in central Tennessee, one in South Carolina and one in Missouri). These pharmacy operations use a central location to supply pharmaceutical services (consulting and medications) and supplies. Regional pharmacies bill Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) electronically and directly for inpatients who have selected a PDP. As of December 31, 2014, the Company's regional pharmacies served 53 owned facilities, five managed facilities, and 13 third party entities.