An aging population places more pressure on long-term care facilities. Shortened hospital stays result in added patients for home health caregivers. Advances in medical technology prolong lives of terminally ill patients, creating a need for hospice treatment. New Jersey's hospitals are exploring new ways to be key players in integrating all those services, so that they can continue to help take care of patients beyond the four walls of a hospital building.
Truth is, hospitals have always been more than just bricks and mortar.
Nearly all of them already have outreach programs and relationships with other care providers. But now hospitals are stepping up efforts to include nursing homes, home health agencies and other services to ensure the best, seamless, coordinated care for the patient. But there's a double-edged sword at work here. As continuing care takes shape, managed care companies pressure hospitals to reduce admissions and lengths of stay. More people recovering and needing care at home.