155: Nursing homes are closing (and you should be paying attention)

As facilities continue to grapple with staffing shortages and financial distress, an unprecedented number of skilled nursing facilities are cutting beds or shutting down entirely. And, there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Despite misconceptions about the value of skilled nursing facilities, these closures impact the entire healthcare ecosystem, and leaders can no longer ignore what is happening. In this episode, host Rachel (Rae) Woods invites post-acute care experts Monica Westhead and Blake Zissman to discuss the reasons behind these closures and the impact this has on the entire delivery system. Links: 4 predictions for post-acute care Why might 400 nursing homes close this year? [ahcancal.org] Nursing Home Closures: By the Numbers Delays in transitions to post-acute care