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Medicare Definition of Acute Care

Medicare, a health insurance program provided by the U.S. government, does not explicitly define "acute care." Nonetheless, it implies a definition through its use of related terms and the benefits it offers. As Medicare may cover inpatient care in hospitals, care at skilled nursing facilities, hospice, home healthcare, doctor services, outpatient care and the provision of prescription drugs, many of the benefits it offers fall within the purview of acute care.

  1. Glossary

    • There are no entries for the term "acute care" in the glossary provided by the official U.S. government website for Medicare. Recommended by Medicare as a source of information regarding Medicare coverage, the National Caregivers Library defines "acute care" as medical treatment for individuals with short-term illnesses or health problems.

    Related Terms

    • Referred to by Medicare as a tool for comparing hospitals, "Hospital Compare" offers no definition of "acute care." It does, however, define "acute care hospital" as a hospital that provides inpatient medical care and other related services for surgery, acute medical conditions, or injuries, usually for a short-term illness or condition. "Hospital Compare" defines "acute illness" as an episode of illness that is short and relatively severe.

    Medical Definition

    • The absence of the term "acute care" in Medicare's glossary as well as Medicare's acceptance of the way certain related terms are used imply that Medicare understands "acute care" as it is commonly understood in the field of medicine. Acute care is health care delivered to patients experiencing sudden illness or trauma, according to "Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary."

    Contradistinction

    • Acute care is often distinguished from long-term care. "Long-term care" is a set of health care, personal care and social services required over a long period, whether in an institution or at home, by persons who have lost, or never acquired, some degree of functional capacity, according to the National Caregivers Library. Acute care is also distinguished from "post-acute care"---the recuperative or rehabilitative care needed to recover from a serious injury or illness.

    Post-Acute Care

    • The terms "post-acute" and "subacute" seem largely synonymous if not perfectly equivalent. Filling the gap between acute care and long-term care, subacute care aims to help patients who have passed the fragile phase of their illness and need routine monitoring and rehabilitation, notes the book "Medical-Surgical Nursing."

    Hallmarks

    • Acute care exhibits a number of identifying features. It generally occurs in the pre-hospital, hospital or emergency department, and is usually short-term, notes "Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary." It is care given to those who are acutely ill, victims of trauma, have a potentially critical condition, need intensive monitoring, need complex diagnostic studies, need surgery or complex treatments, or have an exacerbation of a chronic disorder, according to "Medical-Surgical Nursing."

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