247: How hospitals and post-acute providers can rebuild their relationships (and why they need to)

Let’s face it: Hospitals and post-acute providers can find themselves at odds. Post-acute is an area of the industry that is often misunderstood and sometimes villainized. But when post-acute care struggles, it directly impacts hospital operations. The industry needs a solution. It starts with understanding that the post-acute space is not a monolith. Because only by understanding how different facilities struggle—and how systems can support or partner with them—can we unlock their potential. That’s why this week, host Abby Burns invites Advisory Board expert Monica Westhead, and Optum Advisory post-acute care expert Jennifer Skaggs to unpack the post-acute landscape and break down what effective acute-post-acute partnerships looks like. Throughout the discussion, they explore why post-acute facilities are struggling to stay afloat, and why partnering with post-acute facilities is better avenue than building or buying. Links: The Playbook for Hospital/Post-Acute Care Collaboration Optum Advisory partners with hospitals nationwide to improve efficiency and optimize resource utilization to reduce labor expenses. New staffing mandates for SNFs will have broad effects. Here's how to prepare. Post-acute care Landing Page 2025 Nursing Survey A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.