More than just location: Helping patients and families select an appropriate skilled nursing facility
The rapid evolution of the healthcare system is affecting how care is delivered to frail older patients. Most importantly, the length of a hospital stay for an episode of care is decreasing. This decrease has resulted in a larger proportion of older patients requiring a stay in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Besides providing rehabilitation services, SNFs are required to provide complex acute and chronic medical care to their residents. SNFs vary in their strengths and weaknesses, and some may not be equipped to care for the complex needs of individuals who are ill. It is crucial that the healthcare system educates and assists patients, their family members, and members of the discharge team so that they can collaborate on finding the best SNF to meet the patients' needs. In this article, the authors present evidence- and experience-based strategies that can guide hospitals to implement systems for facilitating the selection of the most appropriate SNF.
Duke Scholars
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Related Subject Headings
- Geriatrics
- 4203 Health services and systems
- 3202 Clinical sciences
- 1103 Clinical Sciences
Citation
Published In
EISSN
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Related Subject Headings
- Geriatrics
- 4203 Health services and systems
- 3202 Clinical sciences
- 1103 Clinical Sciences