What Is Acute-Care Hospitalization?

If you've ever had to go to an emergency room, you've been to an acute-care facility. Acute-care hospitalization refers to hospital treatment during the acute phase of an injury or illness, typically short-stay care for a serious condition. General acute-care facilities provide a wide range of both outpatient and services for treatment of accidents, injuries and other disorders.

Types

• Not all acute-care facilities are general hospitals; some offer certain types of services. Acute psychiatric hospitals, for example, provide care to patients with a psychiatric disorder or condition, while trauma centers are specialized to deal with the complications associated with trauma and severe injury. General acute-care hospitals, however, are the most common type of hospital. Depending on where they are located, they are sometimes called community hospitals or general hospitals.

Services

• General acute-care facilities are usually equipped to offer services like a pharmacy, radiology, lab testing and other diagnostic procedures, surgical and post-surgical care, emergency services and inpatient obstetrical care.

Hospitalization

• If during the course of an outpatient encounter (a visit to the emergency room, for instance) a physician decides that your condition warrants it, you may be admitted as an inpatient or hospitalized. Inpatient admissions also may be scheduled beforehand--to provide surgical care during and after a scheduled surgery, for example.

Long-Term and Continuing Care

• A long-term acute-care hospital (an LTAC or an LTCH) is by definition one that provides patients acute care for stays of 25 days or more. If you're hospitalized at a general acute-care facility after a serious injury but need to remain in the hospital for a long period of time during your convalescence, you may be transferred to an LTAC/LTCH, sometimes called a continuing-care facility.

Considerations

• Generally acute-care hospitals are best suited to providing care for short stays with the aim of discharging the patient once they've returned to a stable healthy condition. Patients who require long-term inpatient care often receive treatment at LTACs, rehab hospitals and other chronic-care facilities.