title: The future of subacute care.
abstract: Subacute care is a program of care for individuals with recent or current illness or injury. Currently, the services received by patients in subacute care vary considerably among sites, partly because these sites may specialize in certain treatments and partly because providers often define subacute care according to their own areas of expertise. Certain approaches to patient care, however, are universal regardless of diagnosis, and care that is given should be based on essential geriatric principles. In setting a standard for care in the subacute care setting, certain parameters must be clarified, including (1) defining subacute care, including what it is and what it is not; (2) selecting the right patient to receive subacute care; (3) making sure that care is centered on patients rather than sites or providers; and (4) ensuring that care is reimbursed adequately and appropriately. These issues are addressed, and guidelines on how to accomplish the goal of standardizing subacute care are provided.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levenson
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D019467:Subacute Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends