Following a hospitalization for injury or illness, many patients require continued medical care, either at home or in a specialized facility. Post-acute care refers to a range of medical care services that support the individual’s continued recovery from illness or management of a chronic illness or disability.

Most modern hospitals and health care systems include a number of services or programs that fall into the category of post-acute care, including institutional-based programs such as inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs) and long-term-care hospitals, as well as home- and community-based services, such as home health and hospice care. Additional specialized services span the acute- and post-acute-care continuum, such as palliative care, hospital case management and discharge planning.

As the population ages and lives longer, the demand for post-acute-care services has increased. Simultaneously, health care providers face pressures to control costs. The financial and clinical success of any health care organization depends on its ability to deliver cost-effective post-acute-care services.

On behalf of hospital members, CHA focuses on legislation, policy and advocacy regarding issues relating to post-acute care. Two of CHA’s specialty centers support specific provider groups: the Center for Medical Rehabilitation Services represents the interests of IRFs and Hospital Services for Continuing Care serves hospital-based SNFs.