Challenges to Post-Acute Care

Dr. Rex Mahnensmith is an internal medicine physician at StayWell Health Center in Waterbury, Connecticut. Over the course of his long career, Dr. Rex Mahnensmith has also served in emergency, outpatient, nephrology, and geriatric settings. While employed in skilled nursing facilities, Dr. Mahnensmith participated in post-acute rehab care. Skilled nursing facilities face several challenges in providing post-acute care to patients recently released from a hospital setting.

Many patients, upon release from the hospital, need post-acute care in a skilled nursing facility before they are able to return home. In these types of situations, additional care and rehab services are necessary. While an important part of a patient’s healing process, skilled nursing facilities face several challenges that revolve around coordination of care and conflicting orders and documentation.

In facing these difficulties, medical professionals are seeking greater coordination between general practitioners, hospitals, specialists, and other involved parties. Utilizing electronic health records can help with essential communication. In addition, emerging technologies such as tracking devices that can detect decline and medication adherence can help. 

By embracing solutions to the challenges of care coordination, the medical community at large will be able to reduce preventable readmissions, strengthen partnerships, and increase the quality of care that post-acute patients receive.