Outcomes and Experiences of Patients Transitioning from Hospitals to Skilled Nursing Facilities

More than half of hospital patients discharged to a postacute care provider go to a skilled nursing facility (SNF), where around 20 percent are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. However, hospitals that limit the number of facilities to which they discharge patients tend to have lower readmission rates than ones that do not, raising questions about how hospitals and patients select SNFs and what effect that selection has on outcomes. Using both quantitative and qualitative research methods, this project will determine how SNF characteristics—such as staffing and participation in the hospital’s network—affect patients’ risk of hospital readmission, their successful discharge, and total expenditures. The researchers will interview patients and families to better understand their experiences choosing a nursing facility and explore how the relative strength of the hospital–SNF relationship affects patients’ final choice and their transition from hospital care.