Location, location, location doesn't work for post-acute care choices.

The Medicare Conditions of Participation require hospitals to give patients a choice of post-acute providers, but that doesn't mean that case managers shouldn't give them the information they need to make informed choices. Experts recommend the following: Give patients a list of providers that can meet their particular needs after discharge, but don't steer them toward a provider in which your hospital has a financial interest. Start the discussion about the discharge destination early in the stay and give family members checklists that include what questions to ask and what to look for when they visit facilities. Be familiar with the post-acute providers in your area. Know the services they provide, their readmission rates, and how quickly they respond to a referral.