Inpatient Acute Care
Acute inpatient care refers to the first days to weeks of inpatient treatment with stroke survivors transitioning from this level of care to either inpatient rehabilitation, community-based rehabilitation services, home (with or without support services), continuing care, or palliative care. This includes diagnostic procedures undertaken to identify the nature and mechanism of stroke, interdisciplinary care to prevent complications and promote early recovery, institution of an individualized secondary prevention plan, and engagement with the stroke survivor and family to assess and plan for transition to the next level of care. This acute phase of care ends at the time of acute stroke unit discharge or by 30 days of hospital admission.