Are you double-checking that your patients being discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNF) meet the three-day inpatient stay requirement? You might want to take a closer look if you aren’t, in light of a February report from the Office of Inspector General that found CMS paid out potentially millions of dollars for beneficiary stays that didn’t qualify under the rule.

Early discharge programs have become increasingly important as hospital administrators focus on patient flow and throughput as a major strategy for financial stability and patient satisfaction.