Sub-acute care facilities provide an exclusive level of medical attention to the patient who does not need acute care but is too fragile to be attended to by many skilled nursing units. Sub-acute facilities aim to assist patients to recuperate and gain energy that allows them to embark on their normal daily activities. Moreover, the facilities seek to control the development of health conditions and ensure that the patient population lives without relying too much on the assistance of other people.
Sub-acute care facilities are beneficial because they are not costly since they employ the use of less sophisticated tools than acute care facilities. However, sub-acute care facilities offer medical services that match those dispensed at critical care facilities. Also, the patients can stay for an extended period under the care process if they need to since Sub-acute care entities offer an option for the patient’s post-discharge (Curtin, Russell & Odum, 2017). Furthermore, sub-acute care facilities are beneficial to individuals who suffer from trauma in their joints, patients who have internal health issues such as cardiac strokes, spinal cord injuries, and amputations because it provides therapy session tailored to improve leg function. However, subacute care facilities have the following limitations towards the patient.
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On the downside, the establishments offer fewer therapy sessions for the patient since the patient only get a maximum of 100 days of medical observation. Another disadvantage of this care facility is that patients usually receive limited nursing service and do not enjoy regular visits from medical officers. Patients who are discharged or who receive sub-acute care at homes lack immediate hospital services. The bottom line is that patients admitted at sub-acute care centers receive limited RN and are likely to be re-hospitalized (Reidt, Sibicky & Yarabinec, 2016).
Sub-acute care facilities must meet the following sub-acute regulations to provide health services to patients who require this unique type of care. The care facility should contain a minimum of 5.0 unduplicated licensed nursing hours per patient a day and 4.0 qualified nurse assistant hours per patient. Sub-acute care units must also ensure to utilize a minimum of 3.0% respiratory care practitioner hours for patients who rely on the use of ventilators, additionally, a minimum of two hours RCP to patients who depend on non-ventilator for respiratory care services. Sub-acute care facility also requires skilled nursing facility and the hospital providing sub-acute care services should be licensed as an acute clinic with a distinct part (DP). It should have certified staff members able to provide care to sub-acute patients. Besides the care facility should comply with the DHCS licensing and certification program that approves them to carry out sub-acute care services.
Palliative care is a better alternative to sub-acute care because it is much cheaper and does not require a practitioner to possess a broad spectrum of skill sets to handle old patients. Furthermore, palliative care involves regular check-ups on the patient’s health conditions, and it also ensures effective pain management by the medical officers, which is not the case in sub-acute care scenarios.
References
Curtin, B. M., Russell, R. D., & Odum, S. M. (2017). Bundled payments for care improvement: boom or bust?. The Journal of arthroplasty , 32 (10), 2931-2934.
Reidt, S., Sibicky, S., & Yarabinec, A. (2016). Transitional care units: expanding the role of pharmacists in providing patient care. The Consultant Pharmacist® , 31 (1), 44-48.
