Post-acute care reform: Implications and opportunities for hospitalists

Nearly all practicing hospitalists have firsthand experience discharging patients to post-acute care (PAC), which is provided by inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, or home healthcare providers. Many may not know that PAC is poised to undergo transformative change, spurred by recent legislation resulting in a range of reforms. These reforms have the potential to fundamentally reshape the relationship between hospitals and PAC providers. They have important implications for hospitalists and will open up opportunities for hospitalists to improve healthcare value. In this article, the authors explore the reasons for PAC reform and the scope of the reforms. Then they describe the implications for hospitalists and hospitalists' opportunities to Choose Wisely and improve healthcare value for the rapidly growing number of vulnerable older adults transitioning to PAC after hospital discharge.