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. 2013 Aug;9(1):26-34.

Alternative level of care: Canada's hospital beds, the evidence and options

Jason M Sutherland  1 , R Trafford Crump
Affiliations

Alternative level of care: Canada's hospital beds, the evidence and options

Jason M Sutherland et al. Healthc Policy. 2013 Aug.

Abstract
in English, French

Patients designated as alternative level of care (ALC) are an ongoing concern for healthcare policy makers across Canada. These patients occupy valuable hospital beds and limit access to acute care services. The objective of this paper is to present policy alternatives to address underlying factors associated with ALC bed use. Three alternatives, and their respective limitations and structural challenges, are discussed. Potential solutions may require a mix of policy options proposed here. Inadequate policy jeopardizes new acute care activity-based funding schemes in British Columbia and Ontario. Failure to address this issue could exacerbate pressures on the existing bottlenecks in the community care system in these and other provinces.

Les patients qui attendent un autre niveau de soins (ANS) constituent une préoccupation constante pour les responsables des politiques de santé partout au Canada. Ces patients occupent de précieux lits d'hôpital et limitent l'accès aux soins de courte durée. L'objectif de cet article est de proposer des options de politiques pour traiter les facteurs sous-jacents associés à l'utilisation des lits ANS. On y discute trois options en tenant compte de leurs limites et défis structurels. Les solutions à ce problème nécessitent peut-être une combinaison des options de politiques proposées ici.

Les politiques inadéquates mettent en jeu les schémas de financement de nouveaux soins de courte durée axés sur l'activité en Colombie-Britannique et en Ontario. Si cette question n'est pas traitée adéquatement, cela pourrait accentuer les pressions sur la congestion du système des soins communautaires de ces provinces et des autres.

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