post-acute rehabilitation
A phase of structured rehabilitation delivered after the acute medical or surgical phase of an illness, aimed at restoring function and enabling discharge to the community or a lower-dependency setting.
Full Definition
Post-acute rehabilitation bridges the gap between acute hospital care and community living, providing intensive therapy and medical oversight to patients who remain too dependent or medically unstable for safe discharge but no longer require acute-level intervention. In geriatric contexts, this phase often occurs in a subacute ward, a geriatric rehabilitation unit, or a transitional care facility. The term is hyphenated when used as a compound modifier (e.g., 'post-acute rehabilitation unit') and should not be confused with 'subacute care', which is a broader term encompassing palliative and other non-rehabilitative programs. Editors should ensure the hyphen is retained consistently across all uses as a modifier.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate when used as a compound modifier before a noun. Do not use interchangeably with 'convalescent care', which implies passive recovery rather than active rehabilitation.
In Context
- "Following her total hip replacement, Mrs K was transferred to a post-acute rehabilitation ward for intensive physiotherapy." — Discharge summary
- "The post-acute rehabilitation team set a target of independent ambulation with a frame prior to community discharge." — Multidisciplinary team meeting minutes