Despite widespread efforts to standardize patient care for efficiency, achieving consistent reductions in length of stay (LOS) across complex patient populations remains a critical challenge.
While hospitals understandably prioritize financial investment in acute services for program optimization, staffing and resource allocation, health leaders recognize the substantial benefits of post-acute care in improving patient outcomes, length of stay and readmission risk.
Hospitals are facing significant financial challenges, including rising supply and labor costs, increasing regulatory burdens, and other operating pressures. Moreover, 40% of hospitals are operating in the red, and 31% of rural hospitals are at risk of closing, notes a Kaufman Hall report.
Value-based care (VBC), a CMS initiative, drives hospitals to deliver high-quality, affordable care by focusing on patient outcomes rather than the volume of services provided.
Recruiting and retaining quality clinical staff remains a top priority for hospitals and health systems this year.
Inpatient rehabilitation provides comprehensive therapy in a hospital setting for patients recovering from serious illnesses, injuries or surgeries. As the most intensive form of rehabilitation, it's designed to help patients regain their independence and return to the community.
The post-acute care landscape is forever evolving, making it critical for health leaders to stay on top of shifting trends, particularly within the inpatient rehabilitation setting. To optimize hospital operations, improve patient outcomes, and bolster financial sustainability, understanding and adapting hospital priorities has never been more important.
Health disparities are a persistent issue, with certain communities facing significantly worse health outcomes than others. This gap is often present in access to quality post-acute services, particularly for those requiring inpatient rehabilitation.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently finalized minimum staffing requirements for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and other nursing homes.1 These requirements are expected to have lasting impacts on the industry, including several post-acute programs, such as inpatient rehabilitation. Since CMS proposed the requirement in 2023, it has been...
When looking for a qualified and trusted rehabilitation partner, it is important to seek out flexibility to ensure all needs are met for your patients, staff and facility.
