Question

How do prevention and nonacute services differ from acute care? Why is the acute care model not appropriate in these areas? What are the implications of differences in patient needs? Of differences in social attitudes?

Answer 1

Let us understand a few terms well.

Preventive health care means appropriate health care measures taken by a person even before he is affected by the disease. It’s like a protection before a certain illness crops up.

Non-Acute Care services means an ailment that does not require immediate medical attention. It can be taken care of gradually and it is a long-term care that the patient receives.

Acute care services play a vital role in the prevention of death and disability. Primary care is not positioned, and is frequently unable, to assume this role. Within health systems, acute care also serves as an entry point to health care for individuals with emergent and urgent conditions. For example, treatment for a severe abdominal pain that is diagnosed as appendicitis. And the patient is asked to undergo a surgery.

Now that we have understood the terms, I am sure you have understood why the acute care model is not appropriate in these areas because it follows a series of activities like:

• screening,
• admission,
• a single point-in-time assessment,
• a short course of minimally individualized treatment,
• Discharge and brief “aftercare”, followed by termination of the service relationship.

Difference in patient needs

Acute Care	Non-Acute Care (Chronic)
Requires immediate attention as the disease is of rapid onset	Persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects. Disease lasts for more than three months.
Symptoms appear suddenly	Symptoms appear gradually
Duration is short ,may be a day or two	Duration is more than 6 weeks
Example: An injury, Loss of blood due to an accident, fracture, burns	Example: Back pain, heart disease, Kidney disease