Why Care Settings Matter: Advantages of Inpatient Rehabilitation for COVID-19 Recovery and Beyond
Ensuring patients receive the right level of care at the right time in their care journey is especially critical in today’s
environment. Post-acute care has played an important role during the pandemic and will continue to be a part of the solution
as more patients recover and work to regain a high quality of life. All post-acute settings are not created equal, as recently
acknowledged by the American Hospital Association.1 Each setting has value, but are designed for specific and different
patient types. This guide breaks down the key differences between the levels of post-acute care, the unique
benefits of inpatient rehabilitation in treating COVID-19 patients, and the opportunity to optimize your rehab
program or start a new program.
The impact of COVID-19 has challenged all healthcare providers and will continue to do so for years to come.2 By quickly adapting and incorporating new techniques to successfully treat the entire patient population – especially those
recovering from COVID-19 – hospitals can ensure the highest quality outcomes across the care continuum.
The Unique Benefits of
Inpatient Rehab
“The pandemic has highlighted the uneven patient care
abilities across the four PAC settings, with regard to
physician leadership and oversight, the contributions
of other specialists and clinicians, infection control
reliability, and patient outcomes,” according to the AHA. Since each setting is designed for a unique patient population, it is important to understand the key differences and the impact on patient recovery. This delta has the greatest
consequence for medically-complex patients and those recovering from COVID-19.1
“Early rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients can enhance pulmonary, respiratory function, reduce complications, improve function, cognitive impairments and quality of life,”3 according to a recent Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine study.
Inpatient rehabilitation offers a variety of resources and programs that help hospitals deliver quality care, reduce readmissions and improve overall facility operations. These include: