The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already-existing shortage of healthcare workers, and as a result, many health systems are struggling to keep up with COVID-19 patient surges as well as patients experiencing behavioral health illnesses brought on by the pandemic. Read Full Post

Although health systems around the country are integrating new care approaches to effectively treat the growing medically complex patient population, location continues to be an important factor, often hindering patient access to vital services. Read Full Post

Throughout COVID-19, inpatient rehabilitation continues to provide significant value to medically complex patients and overall hospital performance through strong clinical outcomes, and will do so even after the pandemic subsides. Read this case study to see recent data on how inpatient rehab has benefited hospital performance and outcomes through the pandemic, and how partnership with a joint-venture or acute management partner can further aid in a hospital’s ability to meet growing patient needs. Read Full Post

Lack of behavioral health access and education in non-urban communities, especially ones largely populated by farmers, has become a growing issue across the nation. This concern is expected to increase if health systems do not respond appropriately.

Read Full Post

With greater emphasis being placed on care transitions and readmission rates, inpatient rehabilitation units have the incredible potential to become high-performing centers of excellence that create greater patient access and enhance the performance of the entire hospital. However, without key foundational fundamentals, issues such as medical oversight and improper medical staffing can occur. Read Full Post

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