What is Long Term Acute Care?

All hospitals with acute care licenses specialize in either long or short term care.  Because short term acute care hospitals are designed for diagnostics, surgical procedures and stabilization, the average length of stay is approximately five to seven days.

Hospitals like Specialty LTCH specialize in long term acute care and are designed for patients who need more treatment time.  The number of days that the patient qualifies for treatment is based on medical necessity and their insurance coverage.  The average treatment time is 25 days.

Our patients can be admitted from the physician’s office, home health agency, nursing home, skilled nursing facility (SNF) or rehabilitation provider.  Any patient admitted from a lower level of care must demonstrate a failure to progress in their present environment or a recent worsening of their medical condition.

What are the benefits of a LTACH?

• Extends the Continuum of Care
• Diminishes (short term acute hospital) DRG Revenue Loss
• Recognition by Managed Care Payment Structure
• Limited to Specific Diagnoses
• Age 18 and older
• No Limitation on Scope of Services Provided
• Ability to Cross-Utilize Services and Resources within the Health System Continuum

Who are usually considered LTACH acceptable patients?

• Ventilator Dependency – Weaning
• Multiple Trauma
• IV Antibiotics – MRSA – VRE
• Complex Wound Care
• Multi-System Failure
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Re-constructive and Extended Post Surgical Care