Collaboration between acute and continuing care facilities: a network approach to providing quality care

As the cost of healthcare has increased and the treatment time for chronic mental health problems has shortened, a gap in service of continuing care programs was identified by staff at a Veterans Administration (VA) hospital in Texas. The continuing care programs were already established in a facility some distance away from the referring hospital. The program that was developed focused efforts toward establishment of an intrahospital and interfacility network to provide maximum rehabilitation for veterans at reduced cost.