FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2024
CONTACT: [email protected]
Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida hospitals are focused on addressing the need for hospitalized Floridians to be transitioned timely to the right post-acute care in the right setting for the best possible outcomes. As part of this ongoing effort, the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) recently convened a Post-Acute Care Roundtable to foster conversation on post-acute care transitions.
“Every individual deserves patient-centered care in the most appropriate setting on their path to healing following a hospital stay. Stroke patients and those who have suffered heart attacks need timely access to rehabilitation services outside of the hospital setting, for example. Post-acute care is a pivotal stage in the continuum of care as every delay prolongs a patient's journey to recovery, yet the accessibility to this critical care remains a pressing concern across Florida communities. Most often, delays are beyond the control of hospitals, post-acute care facilities, and home health services,” said Mary C. Mayhew, President and CEO of FHA. “Our association’s commitment to enhancing post-acute care is a call to action; it’s not merely a conversation. Roundtable discussions among stakeholders are critical components of driving collaboration and prioritizing solutions that enhance accessibility and strengthen our state’s health care delivery system to truly meet the needs of all Floridians.”
The roundtable focused on enhancing the continuum of care to meet the needs of Florida's growing population of older adults, advocating for a comprehensive approach to post-acute and long-term care across the health care delivery system, and navigating the delays in insurance provider authorizations and the lack of standardization between plans. In a survey conducted by the Florida Hospital Association, there were 250,000 patient days with patients stuck in hospital beds who no longer required hospital level of care but could not be timely, safely, and appropriately discharged for a variety of different factors. The FHA survey captured responses from 37 percent of all hospital beds in Florida and, therefore, only partially represents the significant impacts of patients awaiting discharge. Coordinated care, reducing hospital readmission, caregiver availability, and social determinants of health are other aspects of post-acute care that hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community-based organizations are addressing to improve the health and well-being of residents across all Florida communities.
More than 20 representatives from 7 hospitals, five nursing home companies, and home health agencies, as well as two hospice providers, were in attendance. FHA’s Mary Mayhew highlighted the significant preventable healthcare expenditures when post-acute care is delayed, and FHA’s Senior Vice President, Kim Streit, spoke about navigating timely payer authorizations through Medicare Advantage Plans. Guest speakers Samantha Nagy, Vice President of Sub-Acute Services at Mount Sinai Medical Center, provided insight into Mount Sinai’s continuum of care strategies and the success of their Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) program. Stephanie Becena, Field Administrator at Memorial Home Health, detailed the value of home health and the barriers their organization faces in delivering this specialized care.
Monica Calonge, Nursing Home Administrator for Palmetto Subacute Care Center, and Neil Sutton, Vice President of Operations for Nuvision Management – both members of the Florida Health Care Association – participated in discussions about the importance of timely payer authorizations and solutions to simplify and ease transitions to post-acute care.
“It’s incredibly important that hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other providers that are part of the continuum of care for Floridians continually collaborate on the implementation of effective solutions that break down barriers to care,” said Neil Sutton. “Through these collaborations and partnering closely with insurance providers to expedite authorization for post-acute care upon hospital discharge, we can make great strides toward improving accessibility to post-acute care for elderly Floridians.”
The estimated cost to hospitals for keeping patients hospitalized after they are medically ready for discharge can cost more than $540 million a year, with nearly 50% of these patients waiting more than 10 days to be discharged to a skilled nursing facility.
With an ever-increasing elderly population across the state, demand for long-term care only continues to rise due to this growth of Florida’s aging population. Home to the nation’s second-largest population of individuals over the age of 65, Florida’s aging population creates a unique set of circumstances for providers in the state to consider.
FHA remains dedicated to working with state agencies, statewide organizations, as well as individual care providers to ensure that Floridians have accessible, high-quality care close to home as the demand for health care services in Florida continues to grow.
ABOUT THE FHA
Founded in 1927, the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) is the leading voice for health care in the State of Florida. Through representation and advocacy, education, and informational services, the Florida Hospital Association supports the mission of over 200 hospitals and health care systems to provide the highest quality of care to the patients we serve. Led by President and CEO Mary Mayhew, the Florida Hospital Association is located in Tallahassee and is governed by a Board of Trustees and officers elected by the member institutions.
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