The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System (IRF PPS) for fiscal year (FY) 2022. The payment rule will take effect for cost report periods beginning on or after October 1, 2021 for all rehabilitation units and freestanding hospitals. Read Full Post

Providing specialized care for the medically complex has become a vital aspect to a hospital’s care continuum, however, health systems are often not well-equipped to address the growing patient needs and fluctuating regulatory changes. As recently noted, being able to rely on an experience LTACH partner can help generate lower average post-acute length of stay as well as reduce the risk for readmission. Further, there are additional benefits when it comes to integrating an LTACH through a strategic partnership. Read Full Post

With greater emphasis being placed on care transitions and readmission rates, especially as facilities work to recover from COVID-19, inpatient rehabilitation units have incredible potential to become high-performing centers of excellence that create greater patient access and enhance the performance of the entire hospital. However, many programs today do not reach their full potential because operational expertise and resources are difficult to develop and maintain – requiring the help of a specialized expert. Read Full Post

Hospital-based rehabilitation programs are expecting to see a major influx of medically complex patients, including those with neurological conditions, in the coming decades. However, COVID-19 has further spurred the drastic increase, causing an immediate rise of medically complex patients with multiple comorbidities. Read Full Post

Today, more than 50% of the global population is living in cities, and by 2050 this rate is expected to increase to nearly 70%.1 As more individuals migrate to urban communities, the risk of developing a mental or behavioral health illness rises. This sense of over-population leads to crowded emergency rooms and mental health treatment centers – impeding an individual’s ability to receive high-quality services. Read Full Post

Over the past year, generating positive patient and facility outcomes within a rehabilitation unit was a testament to an efficient program with a solid foundation of leadership, staffing and certification. As health systems continue to make the necessary adjustments to better serve the growing medically complex patient population spurred by COVID-19, it is crucial to understand the attributes that contribute to positive outcomes. Read Full Post

The medically complex and critically ill patient population now makes up 10% of the overall Medicare population, impacting four million individuals around the nation.1 These individuals experiencing debilitating illnesses require intensive and specialized care within a facility specifically equipped to meet their needs. Read Full Post

Now more than ever, it is important for providers to be flexible in their ability to respond to current and future patient needs as the medically complex patient population continues to increase. But flexibility isn’t just important in an immediate crisis— it’s something healthcare leaders should be thinking about amid a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. Read Full Post

As health systems work to effectively treat the 47.6 million individuals experiencing mental illness each year1, they must first identify one of the key factors contributing to this growing issue – location. Rural communities continue to experience unique challenges that often create… Read Full Post

Exceeding national benchmarks and producing excellent outcomes is one of the many qualities that help inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) set themselves apart from local and national competitors. These achievements are made possible through accreditations such as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and other specialized program certifications. Read Full Post