What Is the Difference Between Long-Term Care & Long-Term Acute Care?

Unfortunate conditions may warrant the need for long-term or long-term acute care. A patient’s physical needs will determine which type of care is most appropriate.

What Is Long-Term Care?

• According to the Medicare website, long-term care consists of a variety of services, both medical and non-medical, that are provided to individuals who suffer from a chronic illness or disability.

What is Long-Term Acute Care?

• Kindred Hospital, a specialty hospital for long-term acute care patients, defines long-term acute care as the provision of medical services to patients who require long-term medical attention due to complicated illnesses, accidents or conditions. According to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, long-term acute care is a Medicare-designated level of acute care services.

Facilities

• Long-term care can be provided in a patient’s home. Acute care, however, is provided in a hospital facility that is medically equipped. According to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Medicare will pay for long-term acute care just as it would a hospital stay. Medicaid, however, will only provide funding for this level of acuity if the facility is a state-contracted Medicaid provider.

Features

• According to Medicare, long-term care patients may have health-support workers or case manages, who come and go to assist in taking care of them. Long-term acute care patients require around the clock monitoring.

Services

• Long-term care patients do not receive the same level of medical service intensity that is provided to acute care patients. Long-term acute care facilities offer specialized services to patients who have specific needs.