The Illusion of Choice: Why Decisions About Post-Acute Care Are Difficult for Patients and Family Caregivers

Authors: Carol Levine, Kristina Ramos-Callan 

UHF’s Difficult Decisions series is a yearlong inquiry into why hospital discharge planning can fall short despite well-intentioned efforts by hospital staff.

The Illusion of Choice, the second in the series, focuses on the need for information and guidance about selecting a post-acute care setting. It is based on the experiences of patients released from a hospital to a skilled nursing facility and family caregivers, all based in the New York City-area. The information was gathered during discussion groups and individual interviews.

The Difficult Decisions series was supported by the New York State Health Foundation. Other reports in the series look at the many factors that make informed decision-making about post-acute care so challenging; the experiences of health care providers; and the best practices, innovations, and policy levers that could help support New Yorkers who need to make decisions about post-acute care.