Big Profits, Deadly Mistakes and Almost No Accountability

Rehabilitation hospitals are meant to be a safe place for recovery after major illness, surgery, or injury, yet serious harm can occur with little transparency or accountability, leaving patients unable to make informed choices.

A July 2025 New York Times investigation by Rau found that federal inspections have documented some deaths and major safety failures in inpatient rehabilitation hospitals.

Unlike nursing homes, which provide subacute rehabilitation, inpatient rehabilitation hospitals face less public transparency. Medicare doesn't use the five-star ratings to help the public compare safety and quality across inpatient rehabilitation facilities.

The article speculates that some of the quality problems are related to increased for-profit ownership of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals.

Learn More: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/health/rehab-hospitals-errors.html