Expanding Rehabilitation’s Role in Patient Recovery and Health System Capacity with Scott Edelman

Summary

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Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

Episode: Expanding Rehabilitation’s Role in Patient Recovery and Health System Capacity with Scott Edelman

Host: Mackenzie Bean, Becker’s Healthcare
Guest: Scott Edelman, Executive Director of Burke Rehabilitation
Date: March 22, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the expanding role rehabilitation plays in patient recovery and in supporting health system capacity during a time of significant strain for hospitals. Scott Edelman, Executive Director of Burke Rehabilitation, discusses his unique leadership journey, the organizational culture at Burke, strategies to address capacity challenges, and innovations in rehabilitation care. Emphasis is placed on patient-centric philosophy and how a deeply embedded culture of hope, excellence, and compassion drives both staff and patient outcomes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Burke Rehabilitation and Scott Edelman’s Leadership Journey

• Burke Rehabilitation Overview ([00:44]–[03:57])
  • Nonprofit rehab hospital, part of Montefiore Health System, located in White Plains, NY.
  • 150-bed inpatient facility with 15 outpatient centers, expecting 220,000 outpatient visits in the coming year.
  • Specializes in stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic, cardiac, and neurological disease; treats the most stroke survivors in NY state.
  • Mission: To provide high-quality medical care and help patients regain independence.
  • “We provide something more powerful than treatment. We provide hope to every patient that walks through our doors.” – Scott Edelman ([03:02])
• Scott’s “Mailroom to Boardroom” Career Path ([03:57]–[04:25])
  • Over 30 years at Burke, starting in the mailroom and rising to Executive Director.
  • Leadership perspective shaped by hands-on experience at all organizational levels.
  • “Hospitals are not just buildings, profit and loss statements or balance sheets. Hospitals are people.” ([04:19])

2. Organizational Culture and Workforce Strength

• Building the “Burke Family” Culture ([05:07]–[07:16])
  • Uses personal engagement, visibility, and direct communication, such as a monthly “A Note from Scott” newsletter addressed to ‘Burke family.’
  • Workforce grew 18% in five years, with recognition as a top workplace.
  • Employee-defined values: Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Exceeding Expectations, Service Excellence (“Burke CARES” model).
  • “They’re not just letters written on a wall. They’re the behavioral expectations that guide us in how we care for patients and how we treat each other.” ([06:11])
  • Presence on units and in outpatient centers; leaders should exhibit mutual respect and professional equity.
• Retention and Competitive Compensation ([07:50]–[08:14])
  • Reduced turnover from double to single digits via changes in compensation, benefits, and retirement plans.
  • Culture and compensation strategy are intertwined: “If you don’t have a good culture, welcome me to the front lobby. We’ll lock up together.” ([08:14])
• Teaching and Mentoring ([07:19]–[07:36])
  • Adjunct professor in healthcare leadership and finance at the graduate level; proud of students’ career achievements.

3. Rehabilitation’s Strategic Role in Health System Capacity

• Inpatient Rehab as a Solution to Hospital Strain ([08:22]–[11:08])

  • Addresses capacity issues: crowded emergency departments, workforce shortages, complex cases.
  • Distinguishes inpatient rehab facilities (IRFs) from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs): 24/7 physician coverage, 3+ hours/day of therapy, appropriate intensity for severe cases.
  • IRFs help patients recover faster, expedite acute care discharge, and support overall healthcare system efficiency.
  • “Rehab hospitals are simply not the end of the healthcare journey. It’s a bridge that allows patients to return home and regain their independence.” ([09:56])

• Operational Strategies for Patient Flow ([09:56]–[11:44])

  • Partnership with acute care hospitals—demonstrate value proposition (e.g., improve length of stay).
  • Placing care transition liaisons in acute hospitals to streamline transfer/approval for IRF care.
  • Improved engagement with insurance companies to facilitate patient transitions.
  • “Inpatient rehab facilities are the spigot, the safety valves to create more access in acute hospitals.” ([10:54])

• Focus on Patient Safety and Outcomes ([11:51]–[12:38])

  • Notably low 30-day readmission rates attributed to comprehensive care and post-discharge follow-up.
  • “Once you’re here and you come through our organization, the relationship doesn’t end at discharge. In fact, it just begins.” ([12:16])
  • Regular check-ins post-discharge (at 3 days, then every 30 days) to ensure patient safety and continuity.

4. Innovation, Investments, and Growth vs. Optimization

• Evaluating Capital Investments ([13:22]–[14:31])
  • Investment priorities: patient safety, accelerated recovery, likelihood of returning home.
  • “If the innovation provides better patient safety, accelerates recovery, or increases the likelihood that a patient can return home, then it is worth pursuing.” ([13:42])
  • Not everything needs financial ROI—improvement in patient satisfaction and quality may guide investment.
• Recent Innovations at Burke
  • Onsite dialysis: Enables rehab for patients requiring dialysis ([13:59])
  • CT scanner suite and smart bed technology: Enhances patient safety and clinical capacity.
• Growth Strategy: ([13:22]–[14:31])
  • Expansion of outpatient sites to increase access while maintaining quality and coordination.

5. Patient Experience and Community

• First Impressions and Lasting Culture ([14:52]–[15:39])

  • Every interaction, starting at the front desk, shapes the patient and family experience.
  • “How were you greeted at the front desk? How many people said hello to you on the way to my meeting?... Excellence in every interaction.” ([14:59])
  • Many former patients return as volunteers, reinforcing the sense of community.

• Keys to Sustaining Culture and Patient Experience ([15:39]–[17:10])

  • Organization-wide responsibility for patient experience—no single department owns it.
  • Transparency in performance metrics (e.g., patient satisfaction scores) inspires continuous improvement.
  • Post-pandemic resilience: Ongoing support for staff and patients, authentic engagement (“What can I do to help? What matters to you?”).
  • “We’re really proud to give patients something that every recovery journey requires, which is hope and independence... the patients that come in on a stretcher and leave on a walker. It’s just an amazing sight.” ([16:44])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We provide something more powerful than treatment. We provide hope to every patient that walks through our doors.”
  — Scott Edelman ([03:02])

• “Hospitals are not just buildings, profit and loss statements or balance sheets. Hospitals are people.”
  — Scott Edelman ([04:19])

• “They’re not just letters written on a wall. They’re the behavioral expectations that guide us.”
  — Scott Edelman, on Burke CARES ([06:11])

• “If you don’t have a good culture, welcome me to the front lobby. We’ll lock up together.”
  — Scott Edelman ([08:14])

• “Rehab hospitals... are a bridge that allows patients to return home and regain their independence.”
  — Scott Edelman ([09:56])

• “Once you’re here and you come through our organization, the relationship doesn’t end at discharge. In fact, it just begins.”
  — Scott Edelman ([12:16])

• “If the innovation provides better patient safety, accelerates recovery, or increases... returning home, then it is worth pursuing.”
  — Scott Edelman ([13:42])

• “We’re really proud to give patients something that every recovery journey requires, which is hope and independence.”
  — Scott Edelman ([16:44])

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Key Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:44 | Introduction to Burke Rehabilitation: scope and mission
• 03:57 | Scott Edelman’s leadership journey
• 05:07 | Burke’s culture, CARES values, and workforce growth
• 07:19 | Scott’s teaching and mentorship in healthcare education
• 07:50 | Compensation, retention, and organizational culture
• 08:22 | The strategic role of inpatient rehab in health system capacity challenges
• 11:08 | Care transition liaisons and collaboration with acute care hospitals
• 12:11 | Readmission rates, post-discharge care continuity
• 13:22 | Capital investments, innovation, and framework for evaluating new initiatives
• 14:52 | Patient experience: first impressions and ongoing relationships
• 15:39 | Sustaining organizational culture and hope for patients and staff

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Final Thoughts

Scott Edelman’s passion for rehabilitation, leadership by example, and dedication to instilling hope and community are evident throughout this discussion. The episode highlights the vital—but often overlooked—role that rehabilitation plays in both patient recovery and hospital throughput during a turbulent time for health systems. A strong, values-driven organizational culture and a patient-first approach underpin Burke’s success and serve as a model for other healthcare organizations facing similar challenges.

Transcript

[A]

Hello everyone. Welcome to the Becker's Healthcare Clinical Leadership Podcast. I'm Mackenzie Bean, Associate Vice President and Managing Editor of Becker's Hospital Review. Today I'm so thrilled to join the podcast with Scott Edelman, who is the Executive Director of Burke Rehabilitation. Scott, thanks for joining us on the podcast today. How are you doing, Mackenzie?

[B]

Thank you. I am thrilled to be here and so excited. I look at Becker's every day. I listen to all the podcasts so this is an absolute thrill for me.

[A]

Oh gosh, that's so kind of you to say. And privilege to have you on the podcast as well. So let's dive in. I'm hoping you can just introduce yourself for our listeners and tell them a little bit more about your career and Burke Rehabilitation.

[B]

Sure, happy to do that. So thank you again for having me. I'm Scott Edelman. I'm proud to serve as the Executive Director of Burke Rehabilitation. And a little bit about Burke. We're a nationally recognized non for profit healthcare provider specializing in rehab medicine, clinical research and graduate medical education. We're also a proud member of the Montefiore Health System and we just hit our 10 year mark. Burke's work. Our work is centered around a simple but powerful message helping all people recover from life altering illness and regain their independence that defines our our patients quality of life. Every day we see our patients and we care for the individuals that recover from stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, neurological disease, complex orthopedic, cardiac and pulmonary disease. In fact, we treat the most stroke survivors in New York State. Now Mackenzie, these are people who have experienced a major medical event, often the most difficult moment of their lives and they arrive at Burke with one goal, to rebuild their lives. Our mission at Burck is to provide the highest quality medical care and get folks back to the life they love. We often say at Burke, we provide something more powerful than treatment. We provide hope to every patient that walks through our doors. Now currently, Burke is a 150 bed rehabilitation hospital centered in White Plains, New York on a beautiful 61 acre campus. The outside is as healing as the inside, but our reach extends far more than our main campus. We also have 15 outpatient centers across the region and we provide specialized PT, OT and speech throughout the Hudson Valley, New York City and all of our sites are accessible by the Tri state area. So New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. This year alone we expect to deliver 220,000 outpatient visits. But wait, there's more. We also operate an advanced outpatient physician's practice right on our campus. And we provide specialized care for neurological, musculoskeletal, orthopedic, and chronic functioning conditions. That's the continuum of care. Now, Mackenzie, I'd like to tell you my personal journey because my story is something I'm very proud of. I often describe it as the mailroom to boardroom story, because it actually is. I began my career at Burke over 30 years ago. Yes. In the mailroom. And I had the opportunity to grow throughout multiple roles throughout the organization. Eventually, I became senior vice president and chief financial officer. And today I have the privilege of serving as the executive director of Burke Rehabilitation. The journey has given me something more valuable than just experience, has given me as a leader. Perspective. Perspective in understanding how the hospital operates from the ground up. I understand the pressures faced by my frontline staff, the operational realities of running a hospital, and the responsibilities leaders have to create an environment where. Where everyone can succeed. But most importantly, my journey has taught me that hospitals are not just buildings, profit and loss statements or balance sheets. Hospitals are people. They have our physicians, our nurses, our therapists, our administrators, the ones that show up every day committed to helping our patients recover. I know that was a long answer.

[A]

No, it was a fantastic answer. I mean, you paint such a helpful picture for the audience of just the scope of BRIC rehabilitation and the important role that you play in the community. And I love what you said about giving that message of hope and helping people rebuild their lives. It's so meaningful. And I'm just so interested in your leadership journey as well. Like you said, started in the mail room over 30 years ago. Let's talk more about that. You mentioned it's given you great perspective into the organization. Can you talk more about how that perspective has helped shape the way you lead today? And what advantages does that type of institutional knowledge that you hold really have in the healthcare landscape today?

[B]

Yeah, so it's really helped me understand culture in the workforce. Right. So culture is one of the most important drivers of performance at Burke. We refer to all of our employees as the Burke family. I sent out a monthly newsletter. It's called A Note from Scott. And first line says, dear Burke family. It's not a slogan. It reflects the deep level of commitment and collaboration that exists across our entire organization. And the culture is reflected in our workforce. Over the past five years, our workforce has grown by 18%, even in the face of extremely competitive health care labor markets. We've been recognized by one of the best places to work, both 914, Inc. And City and state. And several years ago, we asked our employees to help us define the values that guide our organization. What are the driving principles? And the values they chose were compassion, accountability, respect, exceeding expectations, service excellence. Together they formed the acronym cares. So it's our Burke CARES model. They're not just letters written on a wall. They're the behavioral expectations that guide us in how we care for patients and how we treat each other. And as a leader, I believe culture is built through presence and engagement. That's why I make it a priority to spend time on the hospital units, spend time at the outpatient centers, talking to staff, talking to patients, listen to ideas and learning directly from the people who are closest to the work. I start and end my day on the hospital units and I look forward to it. And when the team doesn't see me, they ask, where is Scott? Is he okay? So that just gives you a little peek into my leadership style. And I also believe the most important thing is just because a leader has a title in an office does not make them a leader. It is through mutual respect, professional equity, getting back to people, closing the loop. And it's really important to me are people.

[A]

It seems like you're really a model of that on the ground.

[B]

And I'm also an adjunct professor. I teach graduate school, so I love to give back. So I teach healthcare leadership and I teach healthcare finance on the graduate level. And I'm so happy when my students land great jobs and they contact me later. I just say, go get them.

[A]

That's amazing. I'm sure it's so rewarding to see all of that and to your 18% workforce growth in such a competitive market too. That's so impressive. Really. I think that culture piece is so, so crucial for retention, isn't it?

[B]

And Mackenzie, we also have a very low turnover rate too.

[A]

Do you?

[B]

Good job. Our turnover rate was double digits. Now it's single digits. We made some changes to the compensation philosophy, the medical benefits and the retirement plan. And people want to work here and stay here.

[A]

Clearly it's really right, that dual focus of being competitive with your benefit, your pay, your salary, but then also the culture piece. And how are those intertwined?

[B]

It seems like culture is everything. If you don't have a good culture, welcome me to the front lobby. We'll lock up together

[A]

there. There you go, folks, you heard it here first. Let's switch gears a little bit and look at more long term strategy. You're leading Burke rehabilitation, and we're at a time in healthcare where we're seeing significant capacity strain going on in Health systems. Curious. How do you see inpatient rehabilitation facilities playing a more strategic role in helping to alleviate some of that burden or support patient flow? And from your perspective at Burke, what operational or partnership strategies have really been most effective there in positioning your role in the broader care continuum?

[B]

Mackenzie, great question. I get that question a lot. So right now, healthcare is facing enormous pressure. Hospitals across the country are struggling with capacity, crowded emergency departments, workforce shortages and increasing clinical complexity. One of the most important but often underappreciated solutions is how we respond as an inpatient rehabilitation solution to this crisis. A lot of folks don't understand the difference between an inpatient rehab facility called an IRF and a skilled nursing facility and SM and snap. But the differences are very significant. Inpatient rehabs provide physician led 24 hours a day, seven day a week coverage. Patients participate in three hours plus of therapy every day. The level of intensity allows us to care for patients recovering from severe neurological injuries, amputation, stroke, etc. When patients receive the right level of rehab at the right times, three things happen. Patients recover faster, acute care hospitals free up beds and the entire healthcare system functions more efficiently. So rehab hospitals is simply not the end of the healthcare journey. It's a bridge that allows patients to return home and regain their independence. So some of the strategies that we have taken. Mackenzie has gone out to the acute care hospitals and showing them what the value proposition is. Let us help you with your length of stay, which create capacity putting in care transition liaisons in the acute hospitals. So when an acute rehab patient is identified, we, we can move them quickly through the system and get them approved clinically and get them approved on the insurance side. And I have to say more recently, insurance companies have become a better partner in that sense. So I believe that inpatient rehab facilities are the spigot, the safety valves to create more access in acute hospitals.

[A]

Really a bridge between the two, like you said. And those care transition liaisons, that's an interesting role. Are those FERC employees who are going into the acute care health system?

[B]

They are. So what we do is we talk to the leadership at the acute hospitals. Let us help you with your length of stay. Put some of our people in there that when they're referred to irf, they can explain what the journey is right and see who really qualifies. Because not everyone qualifies. You might be too sick or not sick enough. That's why the destination and the right level of rehab care at the right time is so important.

[A]

And that coordination and communication between the rehabilitation hospitals and the acute care hospitals, everything.

[B]

Yeah. And patient safety measures and quality are also something that is another feather in your cap when you could report back to the acute care hospitals that you have one of the lowest readmission rates in the country post 30 day discharge, and people are going to stand up and look, wow.

[A]

What do you attribute that success to with your readmissions?

[B]

I think we take good care of our patients, start middle and prepare them to function at home. For it's in a continuing journey, go to our outpatient, see our physicians. We provide wraparound services. We check in three days after discharge, then we check in every 30 days. So I think it's once you're here and you come through our organization, the relationship doesn't end at discharge. In fact, it just begins.

[A]

You stay very, very sticky with your patients across the continuum. That's a great strategy. Let me turn now a bit more to innovations and investments. As I understand it, Burke has invested in onsite dialysis. Correct. Connecticut scanner suite, smart bed technology. All very exciting. And I know you have a larger focus as well, expanding outpatient access. As executive director, how are you evaluating these decisions in terms of which innovations are worth the capital investment? Considering, you know, how tight margins are for many organizations right now, what framework do you really use to guide those decisions and how you think about growth versus optimization.

[B]

Right. So, MacKenzie, we're always looking on how do we expand access. So that's opening more outpatient sites with skilled providers. We're in a very challenging environment, as you said, which means all of our investments must be carefully evaluated. But our framework is straightforward. If the innovation provides better patient safety, accelerates recovery, or increases the likelihood that a patient can return home, then it is worth pursuing. It might not have an roi, but it might have a statement behind it. Right. It may increase our patient satisfaction scores. Right. So when we're looking at an investment now, dialysis was a fantastic thing to put into Merck. Right. Because now we're able to take patients that need rehab and on dialysis, in addition to our CT scanner suite that will be open shortly. And our smart bed technology is a patient safety enabler. So we're constantly looking for those investments that distinguish us from everyone else and provides a benefit to the patient.

[A]

That makes sense. A simple framework, but so powerful. Right.

[B]

I always say, will this improve the recovery journey of our patients? Because I talk to a lot of family members and I talk to a lot of patients and they all say, we love it here. It's great. How can I help? You know, we Have a lot of patients that come back as volunteers, which is amazing.

[A]

That is. It feels like you've built such a strong culture and community with both staff and your patient population.

[B]

Yeah. It starts at the first contact. Right. You only have one chance to make a first impression. Right. Excellence in every interaction. So when I have people that come see me for a meeting, my first question is, how are you greeted at the front desk? How many people said hello to you on the way to my meeting? Right. And that's really important.

[A]

Very much so. I want to end, I guess, just going back to that culture piece. It's clear you really have ingrained it so much throughout the organization, thinking through patient experience, culture, the community, the family dynamic. What's really been key to that? You said greeting at the front desk. Any thoughts there?

[B]

Yeah. I think putting a spotlight on patient experience was the aha moment. And we did town halls to educate the entire staff. We went to all the outpatient sites. I held virtual town halls. I think the eye opener was, here's where our scores are. Here's where we need to be. And the first thing people said is, that can't be us. This must be a joke, because our scores should be better. And letting everyone know that it's not one department called patient experience. We are all responsible for patient experience. But true leadership in healthcare means showing up every day for people who are navigating through the most difficult moment of their lives. It means supporting everyone. Right. We got through Covid together, but now we're post Covid. You don't stop what you were doing during COVID You acknowledge, you help. I say to people, mackenzie, in the morning, you know, what can I do to help? What matters to you? You look like you're having a bad day. Tell me what's going on. Right. And then do something with it. It's not just lip service, but more importantly, we're really proud to give patients something that every recovery journey requires, which is hope and independence. So you could tell, Mackenzie, I've been in my job over three decades, and I love what I do. I love our employees and the patients that come in on a stretcher and leave on a walker. It's just an amazing sight.

[A]

I can tell the passion for what you do just shines through. So thank you so much for such an enlightening discussion, Scott. It truly has been such a pleasure. We so appreciate you joining us on the podcast today. Thank you.

[B]

Thank you so much, Mackenzie.