Critical care hospitals, like Vibra Hospital of Western Massachusetts, are a type of specialty hospital designed to provide care for individuals suffering from critical and chronic medical issues. These patients typically have very complex medical needs and require an extended period of time in a hospital setting for their recovery.
Traditional hospitals, also known as short-term acute care hospitals (STACHs), are the first stop for most critical care hospital patients. For this reason, critical care hospitals are considered post-acute care providers. STACHs offer a wide range of services to diagnose and stabilize patients with acute (severe or emergent) medical needs. Their goal is to treat apparent conditions and address primary needs on a short-term basis. However, not every patient can recover in a few days or even a few weeks. Critical care hospitals offer a specialized second, or transitional, step for extended hospital care. Critical care hospitals provide their patients with the opportunity to continue to work toward recovery in a safe hospital environment.
For this reason, you may sometimes hear a critical care hospital referred to as a long-term acute care hospital, or LTACH. While many hear “long-term” and think of a nursing home, the phrase is simply used here to contrast the typically shorter hospital stay that is provided at a short-term acute care hospital. Patients who require extended hospitalization typically stay at a critical care hospital anywhere between 25 and 30 days, though this can vary from patient to patient.
Critical care hospitals specialize in treating serious respiratory, cardiac, multi-system, neurological, infectious disease, and wound healing issues, among other conditions. To learn more about the services we provide at Vibra Hospital of Western Massachusetts, contact us and let us know how we can help.
