Skilled Nursing Facilities Seek Solutions To Address Quality As Interest In Post-Acute Care Transitions Is On The Rise

Swisslog Healthcare addresses medication safety and access challenges in long-term care settings through in-facility dispensing technology

Broomfield, CO /PRNewswire/ - Long-term care facilities play a critical role in caring for the needs of a growing aging population with a lengthening lifespan. These dynamics are made increasingly complex by proposed changes to reimbursement for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), evolving relationships with acute care networks and challenging delivery logistics involved with a separate central pharmacy. To address these challenges, Swisslog Healthcare is partnering with long-term care facilities and pharmacies to deliver in-facility dispensing technology that increases medication access, minimizes waste and increases resident safety.

As the impact of skilled nursing facilities on hospital readmission rates is recognized by hospitals and health systems, the rate of post-acute facility acquisitions and affiliations grows. The percentage of acute care hospitals having common investor ties to the post-acute or hospice sectors increased from 24.6% in 2005 to 48.9% in 2015, according to Health Affairs.

"Naturally, common ownership can impact provider behavior," explains Huan Nguyen, Vice President of Long-Term Care Business Development for Swisslog Healthcare. "By minimizing unsubstantiated clinical variation and employing best practices for medication management, preferred networks of skilled nursing facilities can help mitigate the risk of 30-day readmission penalties."

In 2015, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center founded the Enhanced Care Program, delivering transition services at no cost to eight SNFs in their market. As a result, Cedars-Sinai has seen a 25% reduction in 30-day readmissions from the participating SNFs.

In addition to preferred SNF networks, hospital-owned long-term care facilities are benefiting from greater access to technology that drive enhanced quality measures. Through investments in automation, these health system pharmacies can extend their reach without straining existing staff. In-facility packaging and dispensing automation enables this model by acting as a pharmacy on site, ensuring medication availability and improving the quality of care delivery.

Providers can see demonstrations of the InSite® In-Facility Medication Packaging and Dispensing System in the Swisslog Healthcare booth at the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) Annual Conference in San Diego, CA, October 7-10, 2017 as well as the LeadingAge Annual Meeting and Expo October 28-31 in Philadelphia, PA.

For more information on Swisslog Healthcare or in-facility packaging and dispensing automation, visit swisslog.com/insite.

About Swisslog Healthcare
Talyst, a market leader in pharmacy automation solutions, is now part of Swisslog Healthcare. Together, the they are transforming medication management for long-term care facilities and pharmacies. At the heart of the company's vision to lead change for better care is a focus on improving workflows and reducing the time clinicians spend doing routine and repetitive tasks – enabling more time to care for patients and residents. In addition to long-term care automation, the company's solutions and services extend across the continuum of care, including transport, medication and supply chain automation for hospitals and health systems.

Headquartered in Buchs, Switzerland, Swisslog Healthcare has been delivering best-in-class automation solutions for more than 100 years. They are a global organization with 2,500 team members in more than 20 countries and clients in more than 50 countries. Swisslog Healthcare is a member of the KUKA Group, a leading global supplier of intelligent automation solutions. www.kuka.com.