PART 2: From Insight to Execution: An Operating Model for Driving Measurable SNF Performance

by Kim Saylor, Chief Growth Officer

Originally published on Park Place Live

In our previous blog article, we reviewed the importance of aligning teams on the same metrics and outcomes. In this article we share how to turn aligned metrics into operational improvement using a 30/60/90-day system that drives measurable change and strengthens referral and payer relationships.

The 30/60/90-Day Operating Model for Measurable SNF Performance

Most Skilled Nursing Facilities already know where their performance gaps are. The organizations that succeed in value-based care do one thing differently: they manage performance as a weekly operating system.

Pick One Performance Gap That Matters

Execution does not start with multiple initiatives. The first step is choosing one performance gap that directly connects to your core metrics, whether that’s elevated readmissions, inconsistent length of stay, or underperforming quality measures. The goal is not to solve everything at once, but to isolate the one area that is most impacting outcomes and financial performance.

Once that gap is clearly defined, improvement should move through a disciplined, repeatable cycle. Leaders begin by validating baseline data so performance is visible and agreed upon across the team. From there, the focus shifts to identifying root causes rather than symptoms, assigning a single clear owner instead of distributing accountability across a department, and implementing one targeted workflow change. Progress is then reviewed weekly, with adjustments made quickly based on what the data is showing.

The 30/60/90-Day Operating Model

A structured timeline turns intention into execution and prevents performance improvement from becoming fragmented or inconsistent.

First 30 Days: Establish Control

The initial focus is visibility and alignment. Select two to three priority metrics, pull baseline performance data, assign ownership for each metric, and launch a weekly interdisciplinary performance review. The objective at this stage is not perfection; it is ensuring the entire team is working from the same definition of performance.

By 60 Days: Drive Targeted Change

Once alignment is established, the focus shifts to action. Implement one workflow change per metric, track weekly movement in performance, and refine based on real results rather than assumptions. This is where behavior begins to shift from awareness to accountability, reinforced through a consistent weekly cadence.

By 90 Days: Stabilize and Translate Value

At this stage, successful changes are standardized and embedded into daily operations. This is also where internal improvement is translated into an external narrative, one that clearly communicates value to referral partners and payers.

For example, if a facility focused on reducing unnecessary variability in Medicare Part A length of stay, the internal work might include tightening interdisciplinary discharge planning, improving daily therapy-to-nursing communication, and standardizing criteria for when a resident is clinically and functionally ready for discharge.

By the 90-day mark, the outcome is not just smoother internal coordination, it is more predictable and appropriate length of stay patterns, fewer delayed discharges, and stronger alignment between clinical readiness and discharge timing.

That improvement then becomes part of the external value story. Instead of broadly stating “we provide quality care,” leadership can now communicate to hospital partners and referral sources: We’ve made our care and discharge planning more consistent so residents progress at the right pace, reducing length of stay by roughly 2 days in some cases.

This is where internal operational improvement becomes external market advantage.

The Operating Shift That Matters Most

Value-based care rewards organizations that can connect data, teams, and execution into a single system of accountability.

The SNFs that perform consistently in this environment don’t just measure outcomes. They run their buildings using that data every week.