Changes in US Skilled Nursing Facility Capacity Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

Has US skilled nursing facility (SNF) capacity changed following the COVID-19 pandemic?In this cross-sectional study of US skilled nursing facilities, although the number of licensed skilled nursing beds in the US has declined since 2019, estimated operating capacity based on maximum census counts declined 5% by 2024, with many counties experiencing declines of 15% or more. Areas with larger declines in SNF capacity had more frequent reports of facility staffing shortages and larger increases in hospital length of stay.Results of this study suggest that SNF capacity in the US has declined since the start of the pandemic, likely related to staffing shortages, and these declines may reduce older adults’ access to SNF care and disrupt hospital discharges.

Corresponding Author: Brian E. McGarry, PT, PhD, Division of Geriatrics and Aging, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester, Box CU 420644, 265 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, NY 14642 (brian_mcgarry@urmc.rochester.edu).

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