Rethinking Post-Acute Care Settings

Not that many years ago, high school baseball players used wooden bats when they stepped to the plate. Today’s players use aluminum bats. But while the tool has changed, their goal hasn’t. They still have to hit the ball.

America’s healthcare system is still using wooden bats when it comes to post-acute care. It’s time that we joined the 21st century and rethink what post-acute care means in a society where age is not what it once was and where consumer expectations are higher than ever. 

The goal of post-acute care is the same as always: to help people recover from surgery, illness or other occurrences and return home as quickly and as safely as possible. But like that high school baseball player, it’s time to change the tool.  A good place to start is by reassessing what a post-acute rehab facility in 2013 should look like  

Today’s post-acute care should take place in a setting where clinical knowledge is complemented by a care team that emphasizes customer service and comfort. It wouldn’t hurt if this team studied the models of the Ritz Carlton, Disney or Nordstrom and was encouraged to build a culture of quality, kindness, respect and compassion.

It should include a care team that works in collaboration with each patient’s physician to create a rehab plan tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Treatment and recovery goals should be communicated with the patient every step of the way, and family members should be encouraged to participate in helping their loved one prepare for a timely discharge and return home.

It should have a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals including nurses and therapists specially trained in orthopedics, cardiology, neurology, bariatric and other fields who can address the diverse needs of patients. And it should include physical and occupational therapy workout gyms with the latest rehabilitation equipment.

In a society that demands personalization and rejects the “one-size-fits-all” approach to practically everything, the new post-acute rehab center should offer free-style dining, similar to what is found on cruise ships, allowing residents to eat at times they prefer. And what about having a lounge, library, game room and Internet café? What about a spa that provides therapeutic massage, manicures, pedicures, a beauty salon and a Jacuzzi, all designed to make the patient’s stay as comfortable and familiar as possible? 

This 21st century facility should have “almost-home” transition rooms, which allow patients close to discharge the chance to, as closely as possible, experience what living is like once they are home? Before discharge, a representative from the post-acute care facility should perform a “home assessment” and then build a custom-designed rehab program that prepares a patient for any particular challenges they might experience once they return home. And don’t forget offering outpatient therapy to graduating residents who need (or choose) to continue with their strength and function training with their favorite therapist after discharge.

It is no secret that America is aging, and while post-acute care is not exclusively for seniors, these numbers can’t be ignored. Every eight seconds someone in America is turning 65. People 65+ represented 12.4 percent of the population in the year 2000 but are expected to grow to be 19 percent by 2030. By 2030 there will be about 72 million older Americans, more than twice their number in 2000. The reality is that many of these people will, at some point, need post-acute care.

Taking a fresh look at post-acute care and continuing to refine our thinking and our programs to reflect society’s changing expectations is not only good business but is our duty and moral responsibility.

John Gardner is executive director of the Post Acute Rehab Center at Victoria Care Center in Ventura.