Rehab hospitals have become a profitable sector within the healthcare industry, assisting individuals in recovering from major surgeries and injuries. However, recent data and inspection reports reveal concerning incidents of patient harm in some for-profit facilities, including those operated by Encompass Health Corp. These incidents include patient deaths and below-average performance on key safety measures tracked by Medicare.
In one tragic incident at Encompass Health’s hospital in Huntington, West Virginia, a patient was fatally poisoned by a carbon monoxide leak during construction at the facility. In another case at their hospital in Jackson, Tennessee, a patient was found dead on the floor in a pool of blood after an alarm that should have alerted nurses had been turned off. These incidents highlight the serious consequences of lapses in patient safety.
Despite these grave incidents, federal health officials do not always inform consumers or impose fines on these facilities as they do with nursing homes. Additionally, Medicare does not provide easily understandable star ratings for rehab hospitals as it does for general hospitals, making it difficult for patients to assess the quality of care provided.
Encompass Health, a dominant player in the industry with 168 hospitals and over 248,000 admissions annually, has led the transformation of rehab hospitals. They have overtaken nonprofits as the primary providers of rehab services, with a focus on providing three hours of therapy per day, five days a week. However, data from Medicare shows that while Encompass excels in helping patients return home, they also have higher rates of potentially preventable readmissions to general hospitals.
Despite Encompass Health’s success and profitability, the company has faced scrutiny in the past, including a significant accounting scandal in 2003 when it was known as HealthSouth. The company has since rebranded and expanded its operations, but concerns about patient safety and quality of care persist.
In recent years, Encompass Health has faced immediate jeopardy violations at several of its hospitals, indicating serious lapses in compliance with federal regulations that put patients at risk of harm. These violations, including medication errors and patient deaths, underscore the importance of robust oversight and accountability in the healthcare industry.
The lack of transparency and accountability in the rehab hospital sector is a concerning issue that needs to be addressed to ensure the safety and well-being of patients. Efforts to develop a rating system for rehab facilities are underway, but more needs to be done to improve the quality of care and prevent future incidents of harm.
Overall, while rehab hospitals play a crucial role in helping patients recover from major health issues, it is essential for regulators, healthcare providers, and the industry as a whole to prioritize patient safety and quality of care above all else. By addressing these issues and implementing more stringent oversight measures, we can ensure that rehab hospitals provide the highest standard of care to those in need.
