FHP-SSR: French Federation of Private Post-Acute Care Hospitals

The French Federation of Private Post-Acute Care Hospitals FHP's follow-up care and rehabilitation union (FHP-SSR) is the representative organization of 460 private SSR establishments. It is one of the 3 specialty unions of the Private Hospital Federation (FHP).

The purpose of the post-acute care and rehabilitation activities (SSR in French) is to prevent or reduce the functional, physical, cognitive, psychological or social consequences of patients' impairments and capacity limitations and to promote their rehabilitation and reintegration in the society.

The post-acute and rehabilitation hospitals have the following mission: medical, curative and palliative care; re-education and rehabilitation; prevention and therapeutic education actions; preparation and support for family, social, school or professional reintegration.

The need for rehabilitation care and solutions outside of the acute hospitals is booming with the increase of chronic diseases, disabling health events and an aging population. The post-acute hospitals are also increasingly sought after due to the decrease in average lengths of stay in medicine and surgery.

The French post-acute and rehabilitation specialty represents a strategic sector of the healthcare system in France because of its positionning between acute care and patients homes, long-term care units (LTCU) or age care solutions. SSR hospitals therefore are a pivotal points of care, and ensure fluidity of the patients' pathways.