Category(s):
Health
Status: Active
Principal: Ted McDonald
Project Number: P0069
Year Approved: 2021
"Alternate level of care” (ALC) is used in acute care hospitals to describe patients who occupy a bed but do not require the intensity of services provided in acute care settings. ALC designation is a multi-faceted clinical decision that considers the clinical status, safety, functional independence and mental health of the patient while also considering on-going care requirements such as the administration of diagnostics, therapeutics and medications. ALC designation has implications for both individuals and health systems.
GNB’s Department of Social Development (SD) maintains several long-term care (LTC) programs that aid older adults living with health conditions and functional limitations in maintaining a high quality of life at home and in their community. Given the similarities in health status and functional capacity that exist between the LTC target group and hospitalized individuals with ALC designations, overlap in these populations is of interest to decision-makers. This research project systematically compares differences in baseline characteristics and trajectories of care of individuals in home care compared to those in ALC. In doing so, the project provides evidence on how the LTC program can help keep seniors in need of supported living out of ALC status in hospital.
