Solutions
Consulting for LTACHs: Practical Solutions, Proven Impact
Long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) face a unique set of operational and financial challenges. Whether embedded within a larger health system or operating independently, LTACHs operate under specific regulations and requirements that differ from their short-term acute care hospital counterparts.
LTACH Consulting Services provide targeted, high-impact support tailored to each client hospital’s specific needs. Each engagement is grounded in CHC’s deep LTACH operational experience. We offer the right solution for your situation.
Consulting Solutions That Target Your Biggest Pain Points
LTACHs often face recurring challenges that compromise performance and financial outcomes. CHC’s team of LTACH specialists bring operational insight, hands-on expertise, and measurable results. Coding Accuracy and DRG Optimization
THE PAIN POINT: Your Case Mix Index (CMI) is consistently below peers, and coding is performed following patient discharge by generalists without LTACH expertise.
HOW CHC HELPS: We conduct baseline and concurrent coding audits, staff training, and real-time documentation education to ensure that each patient’s DRG accurately reflects the care that was provided. These changes provide appropriate reimbursements and can allow for longer care timelines when appropriate. Revenue Cycle Review
THE PAIN POINT: You’re seeing write-offs or unexplained reimbursement adjustments, and billing is handled by a centralized system not familiar with LTACH-level care.
HOW CHC HELPS: Our team evaluates payment integrity and billing workflows to identify where dollars are being left behind. We ensure that billing aligns with the complexity and duration of LTACH care, not short-term inpatient norms.
“We’re very pleased with the many ways Community Hospital Corporation has helped Baptist Health Extended Care Hospital improve operational efficiencies and service delivery for our long term acute care patients. We are leveraging CHC’s expertise for admissions process review, sales and marketing strategies, coding audits, and physician-led, peer-to-peer authorization advocacy resulting in improved timely admissions to our hospital.”
— Greg Stubblefield, President Baptist Extended Care Hospital | Little Rock, Arkansas
Supply Chain Optimization
THE PAIN POINT: Your independent LTACH lacks purchasing power and isn’t getting the best-available pricing from your group purchasing organization (GPO).
HOW CHC HELPS: CHC provides access to top-tier pricing with HealthTrust Performance Group GPO, which delivers significant savings on supplies and equipment, especially for independent LTACHs. Our team supports smarter purchasing practices that reduce overhead without compromising care.
Admissions and Referral Development
THE PAIN POINT: Your LTACH relies heavily on a narrow referral base or sees fewer referrals convert to admissions.
HOW CHC HELPS: We assess your market reach and educate referral sources, while mentoring your sales team, on the requirements for patient LTACH eligibility. Our approach clarifies messaging, improves conversion rates, and uncovers new sources of appropriate patient referrals. Mock Surveys and Regulatory Readiness
THE PAIN POINT: Your internal quality team is unfamiliar with the practical implementation approach of meeting accreditation and survey standards in LTACH settings.
HOW CHC HELPS: We provide mock survey preparation and readiness reviews to help your team approach regulatory evaluations with confidence, reducing surprises and elevating outcomes.
Why CHC Consulting?
What sets CHC apart is our experience as both consultants and current operators of LTACHs across the country. Since 2004, we have owned and managed LTACHs ranging in size from 23 to 80 beds, with staff actively working in our hospitals each week. Every proposal we deliver is tailored to your facility’s goals.
Our clients include standalone LTACHs and those within hospital systems. A growing number of repeat clients turn to CHC for ongoing services.
Approach to LTACH Success:
Start with What You Need
Many hospitals begin with a focused project, such as a coding audit or market assessment, and build from there. Let’s talk about what you’re seeing, and what you might be missing. Contact us today to explore how CHC ContinueCARE can support your LTACH’s performance, sustainability, and growth.