Post-acute care partners help reduce readmission rates through patient-friendly care transitions and the application of rehabilitation therapies. In fact, an Issue Brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation cited coordinating with post-acute care providers
as one of the key ways for hospitals to reduce readmissions.2
Effective transitions, however, are more easily said than done. Not all hospitals have care coordinators on hand to guide this crucial step, and those that do often lack control of patient behavior and care delivered post-discharge. Studies demonstrate
that approximately 80% of serious medical errors involve miscommunication during the hand-off between medical providers.3
With a strategy that includes quality-driven inpatient rehabilitation, hospitals can reduce their readmission rates with the assurance of positive patient transitions and strong clinical outcomes.
Read this guide to understand:
- The key barriers in reducing readmission rates
- How rehabilitation is a proven strategy in overcoming these barriers
Barriers to Reducing Readmissions
Many factors outside the hospital’s core services contribute to readmission rates, according to a study published in the Summer 2019 issue of Perspectives in Health Information Management. The study’s authors concluded the biggest barriers
are:
- Poor transitions between care settings
- Health illiteracy/discharge education
- Patient socioeconomic factors4
Hospitals must address these challenges to move the needle on readmission rates. The good news is they are not insurmountable. In fact, high-quality rehabilitation provided by a trusted post-acute partner can be a valuable solution that helps hospitals
overcome each of these three barriers.
Rehabilitation Therapies Help to Reduce Readmissions
Rehabilitation services are critical to patient recovery as well as reducing hospital readmissions and avoiding financial penalties. Inpatient programs in particular are highly effective in these areas, most notably having a positive impact on preventable
readmissions. A study published in PM&R found that only 3.5% of acute care readmissions during an inpatient rehabilitation stay were classified as potentially avoidable.5 This sets inpatient rehabilitation apart from other post-acute
settings. Preventable readmissions among the larger population of acute care patients is in the double digits.6
Rehabilitation is so effective because it helps patients improve their functional abilities and successfully transition from the hospital to home. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association that reviewed more
than 4 million inpatient rehabilitation cases across 16 impairment groups found that functional status was a greater predictor of hospital readmissions than comorbidities.7
Furthermore, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, impairment seems to correlate to readmission rates, particularly in patients admitted for heart failure, myocardial infarction or pneumonia. The readmission rate for patients
who were discharged with no impairments was 16.9% whereas patients who had difficulty with three or more activities of daily living had a readmission rate of 25.7%.8
Getting patients to the highest level of functionality prior to discharge takes commitment to – and investment in – highquality inpatient rehabilitation services.
The Value of Post-Acute Rehabilitation in an Acute Hospital
The value of rehabilitation therapies in improving patient recovery and reducing preventable readmissions is clear, and hospitals have the ability to harness this power. Hospital-based inpatient rehabilitation programs deliver the intensive, interdisciplinary
clinical and rehabilitation services necessary for improved function and independence. They enable hospitals to extend their reach and have a positive, ongoing impact on patient care, manage care transitions and improve overall communications –
all of which help reduce barriers to reducing readmissions.
In addition, by optimizing the post-acute rehabilitation services provided and expanding access to more patients who can benefit from this intense level of services, facilities can reduce chances of readmissions, keep patients within the health system,
and ultimately help patients reach their recovery goals faster and drive greater patient satisfaction.
Case Study: Reduction in Readmissions Through Rehabilitation
Kindred Hospital Rehabilitation Services (KHRS) works with many of the leading health systems across the country to help them provide the highest-quality rehabilitation for their patients. As illustrated below, after partnering with Kindred, hospitals
saw a decrease in readmissions.

Compares quality the year prior to Kindred management to 2019 quality
under Kindred management.
Kindred Rehabilitation Program Client Performance
| Before partnering with Kindred | One year after partnering with Kindred | Variance |
---|
Percent discharges to community | 75.4% | 79.6% | 4.1% |
Percent discharges to acute care | 8.7% | 7.7% | -0.9% |