Even Grave Errors at Rehab Hospitals Go Unpenalized and Undisclosed

Findings from leading aging researcher Dr. Chih-Ying Li and colleagues was featured in a KFF Health News story on rehab hospitals that have serious incidents of patient harm and perform below average on safety measures. The story refers to a 2017 study on hospital readmissions, "Is Profit Status of Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities Independently Associated with 30-day Unplanned Hospital Readmission for Medicare Beneficiaries?".

Chih-Ying Li, Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) School of Health Professions and a Pepper Center Pilot Awardee, said in an interview that a research study she conducted found the profit status of a rehab facility was the only characteristic associated with higher unplanned readmissions.

“The finding is pretty robust,” she said. “It’s not like huge, huge differences, but there are differences.”