If you're a hospital administrator or executive, you know that every year it seems like you're doing more with less. More patients, new services, higher care expectations, more regulations ” and all with a tighter budget and a smaller staff.
Unfortunately, therapy and rehabilitation departments can often be one of the first service lines to be deemed nonessential and either downsized or eliminated entirely. After all, there are more outpatient options for physical therapy than ever before, meaning patients can receive these services after they are discharged.
Therapy services are absolutely critical to delivering full continuity of care, and delivering them while patients are still under your care can lead to more positive outcomes and higher satisfaction. It can also mean increased revenue and less chance of costly readmission for your facility.
Why are hospitals turning to contract therapy services?
An increasingly common solution for hospitals looking to streamline their operations without sacrificing patient care is contracting for therapy services with an outside organization. To help you decide if contract therapy may be right for you, here are four reasons why so many facilities are taking this course of action:
- Scalability ” Whether you are large or small, contract therapy helps you leverage the resources of a larger organization on a scale that fits your budgetary needs.
- Staffing flexibility ” It doesn't always make sense for hospitals to hire full-time therapists if the patient population has seasonal fluctuations. Hospitals that contract for therapy services can meet staffing needs on a more flexible basis.
- Turnkey systems and workflows ” Hospital leadership is often challenged to oversee the unique demands of a therapy department. Contract services bring therapy-specific practices and systems that can be easily implemented.
- Industry expertise ” Whether it's performance management of your staff or better documentation and billing practices, working with a contract therapy service means a partner who is dedicated to this field and has depth of knowledge on best practices.
Alliance Physical Therapy Partners can provide the contract therapy services you need
Our hospital partners across the United States work with us because we bring more than 50 years of industry experience to the table. We're proud to offer access to top recruiting networks, proprietary health information system software and proven systems of work that are truly turnkey.
Contact Alliance today to find out how to receive a comprehensive assessment of your current therapy program.