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PTs serve an important role in patient safety and patient care transitions.

Reducing avoidable readmissions is a high priority for the government in ongoing health care reform.

Physical therapists should advocate and communicate their expertise and critical-decision making in providing recommendations for the most appropriate level of care postacute care discharge within the health care team prior to and during care transitions to help in reducing hospital readmissions.

Recommended Content

Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy Provide Rehab Value in Postacute Care

Apr 5, 2021 / Statement

Study across 1.4 million Medicare cases indicates patients receiving these therapies have better quality of life and fewer hospital readmissions.

APTA Hospital Readmission Handout

Oct 20, 2020 / Handouts

APTA has developed this handout that lists the wealth of research on the role that physical therapists play in reducing hospital readmissions.

There's No Place Like Home: Reducing Hospital Readmission Rates

Nov 1, 2015 / Feature

PTs are playing an important role in reducing patient readmissions to hospitals. They could play an even a bigger one. Learn how.

Additional Hospital Readmissions Content

Therapy Outcomes in Post-Acute Care Settings Chart Book

Apr 5, 2021 / Open Access

Review key background and objectives; how beneficiaries compare across settings; key findings; discussion and policy implications.

Therapy Outcomes in Post-Acute Care Settings: Study Summary

Apr 5, 2021 / Open Access

This summary highlights the differences between patient populations who receive therapy services in each of the post-acute care or PAC, settings and the resulting functional outcomes of therapy.

Hospital Readmissions

Apr 4, 2018 / Article

Nearly one in five Medicare patients discharged from the hospital is readmitted within 30 days; that's approximately 2.6 million seniors at a cost of more than $26 billion every year.

Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)

Mar 1, 2022 / Article

The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) contains 3 components: Balance test, Gait Speed test, and Chair Stand test. These components are useful for a physical therapist (PT) to evaluate the functional mobility of an older adult’s lower extremities.