Evaluating Need: Characteristics of Care - Acute LTC Care
Although few people like to plan and prepare for the unfortunate, severe illness or injury can occur at any age. Because it's not typically something we can plan for far in advance, sudden illness comes as a shock to many, both emotionally and financially. Unfortunately common occurrences and conditions, like car accidents, on-the-job injuries, or even illnesses like appendicitis or pneumonia, can result in the need for not only time in the hospital but also what is called acute care.
Acute Long Term Care Needs
Once your underlying condition has been treated, you will be released from the hospital. However, you probably will still need time to heal and recover strength. Acute care refers to the follow-up rehabilitation and care that you receive following the initial treatment of a severe, but not necessarily permanent condition. You may also need skilled or custodial assistance to enable you to again live independently. Examples of conditions that may require acute care following a hospital stay are:
Brain damage
Spinal cord injury
Orthopedic trauma or surgery
Circulatory conditions
Infectious diseases
Cancer
Severe accidents or other injuries
Illnesses like appendicitis or pneumonia
Following hospital release, a temporary treatment plan, unique to each individual’s needs is developed by a skilled medical professional. The goal is for the treatment to enable the patient again live independently, or with as little assistance as possible.
Ideally, the individual is restored to their previous state of health and functioning. If this is not possible, the goal is to develop alternate strategies to compensate and to allow them to again live independently. Acute care is occasionally administered in the home, but most often takes place in a hospital rehabilitation wing or in a skilled care facility.
Based on consulting physicians’ evaluation of the patient’s condition upon release from the hospital, a treatment plan is developed. Skilled medical professionals in an acute care setting then oversee this. These are generally a nurse, occupational or physical therapist. Other caregivers, aides and assistants, work under their direction, administering various aspects of the plan of care.
Medicare pays for all acute care for a limited period of time, generally just a few weeks. After that, high co-pay is required. For the coverage to continue, improvement in the patient’s condition must also continue. Because services follow funding, care is often based on reimbursement. Unfortunately, this often has little to do with the goals of care or the needs of recipients. LTC insurance can help when Medicare will not.
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