alternate level of care


alternate level of care

Pt care–eg, hospice, at-home nursing, in which efforts are no longer made to cure or aggressively treat a disease, but rather prepare for death and alleviate pain, as needed by those who are terminally ill with cancer or AIDS. See Hospice, Terminal illness syndrome.

al·ter·nate lev·el of care

(awl'tĕr-năt lev'ĕl kār) Therapy provided to patients whose disability is less than acute. This degree of therapy includes many options (e.g., long-term care facility, respite care, in-home care).