Goal Setting Practice May Improve Postacute Care Quality

​Postacute care patients in a skilled nursing facility practiced setting goals in a study published in the May/June 2017 issue of Annals of Long-Term Care. In 129 bedside interviews, 40 patients were asked to explain—in their own words—their top three goals and top three concerns in regards to their care. Combining the results by theme, analysts identified 13 categories of goals and concerns, including activities of daily living, being discharged to home, basic strength and mobility, and home care services. The most common goals were related to mobility (17%), general health condition (12%), medical treatment (11%), and discharge to home (11%). Patient goals also varied based on demographics.