Long Term Acute Care

Long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) also known as long-term acute care (LTCH) hospitals serve patients with complex medical needs who require longer hospital stays and need highly specialized care.

At Barlow Respiratory Hospital, we are accredited by the Joint Commission and licensed by the State of California.

The benefits of Long Term Acute Care Hospitalization at Barlow Respiratory Hospital include access to our expert interdisciplinary medical team, state of the art technology and dedication to patient safety and infection prevention. We work together as a team and consult with leading specialists to provide each patient and their family individualized goals of care and a treatment and discharge plan to achieve the most complete recovery possible. Patients stay with us for an average of twenty five days with the goal of moving to a lower level of care or return home to their loved ones.

A long term acute care hospital is not the same, but is sometimes confused with a long-term care facility like a nursing home, Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF), or other lower level of care which is typically a next step in the continued care of patients moving towards recovery.

WHAT IS AN LTCH?

What Are Long Term Care Hospitals?

Most people who need inpatient hospital services are admitted to an ‘acute‑care’ hospital for a relatively short stay. But some people may need a longer hospital stay. Long-term Acute Care Hospitals (LTCHs) focus on patients who, on average, stay more than 25 days. Many of the patients in LTCHs are transferred there from an intensive or critical care unit. LTCHs specialize in treating patients who may have more than one serious condition, but who may improve with time and care.

Source: What are Long-Term Care Hospitals? Medicare 2019 www.medicare.gov