This episode originally aired on April 15, 2025.

In times of uncertainty, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by what’s out of your control. That’s why over the next few weeks we’re revisiting three powerful conversations that remind us where to focus: on operational excellence, on what is within your control, and on the urgency to act now. Whether you're navigating workforce challenges, financial pressures, or strategic pivots, these episodes offer practical insights to help you retrench, refocus, and lead with clarity.

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.

We’re here to help:

• Optum Advisory partners with hospitals nationwide to improve efficiency and optimize resource utilization to reduce labor expenses.


• The Playbook for Hospital/Post-Acute Care Collaboration


• New staffing mandates for SNFs will have broad effects. Here's how to prepare.


• Post-acute care landing page

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A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.