Question
What are post-acute care (PAC) services?
Answer
- Long-term care hospital (LTCH) – treat patients with a high level of acuity who need an extended hospital stay
- Inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) – treat patients that need hospital-level care and intensive rehabilitation
- Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) – short term in-patient rehabilitation and medical treatment center
- Home Health Agency (HH) – provide skilled, intermittent nursing and therapy care at home
These include LTCHs, which treat high acuity patients that need a longer hospital stay. In-patient rehab facilities treat patients, and they combine hospital-level care and intensive rehab to regain the level of function needed to return home. Skilled nursing facilities are important for in-patient treatment, and rehab centers provide medically necessary services. Following care in a general acute care hospital, such as surgery or after an acute exacerbation, patients are referred to a post-acute care service known as PAC. SNFs are inpatient treatment and rehab centers that provide medically necessary services around the clock but usually temporarily until they return home. Lastly, home health agencies provide care in the home.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, The Importance of Respiratory Therapists in Post Acute Care, presented by Vrati Doshi, MSc, RRT.
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