Alternate level of care patients in hospitals: What does dementia have to do with this?

Background Patients in acute care hospitals no longer in need of acute care are called Alternate Level of Care (ALC) patients. This is growing and common all across Canada. A better understanding of this patient population would help to address this problem. Methods A chart review was conducted in two hospitals in New Brunswick. All patients designated as ALC on July 1, 2009 had their charts reviewed. Results Thirty-three per cent of the hospital beds were occupied with ALC patients; 63% had a diagnosis of dementia. The mean length of stay was 379.6 days. Eighty-six per cent were awaiting a long-term care bed in the community. Most patients experienced functional decline during their hospitalization. One year prior to admission, 61% had not been admitted to hospital and 59.2% had had at least one visit to the emergency room. Conclusions The majority of the ALC patients in hospital have a diagnosis of dementia and have been waiting in hospital for over one year for a long-term care bed in the community. Many participants were recipients of maximum home care in the community, suggesting home maker services alone may not be adequate for some community-dwelling older adults. Early diagnosis of dementia, coupled with appropriate care in the community, may help to curtail the number of patients with dementia who end up in hospital as ALC patients.