Building Skilled Nursing Relationships to Improve Hospital Length of Stay

This guide discusses the importance of optimizing inpatient discharge processes to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) as a means to reduce average length of stay (ALOS) in hospitals. It outlines the findings from Kaufman Hall's 2023 State of Healthcare Performance Improvement survey, which indicates that while some improvements have been noted, many health systems still face challenges with ALOS. The document emphasizes the need for health systems to establish effective partnerships with SNFs, addressing the unique interests and challenges faced by both parties. Key interests for health systems include ensuring bed availability and maintaining reliable relationships with SNFs, while SNFs focus on consistent patient volume and timely discharges. The guide evaluates various partnership options, from maintaining the status quo to full acquisition of SNFs, detailing the trade-offs associated with each approach. It also highlights the necessity for health systems to define specific problems related to discharge processes and to model the financial impact of potential partnerships to ensure mutual benefits.