What is “acute care”?

Authors: SCIRE Community Team | Reviewer: Arlene Aspinall and Tova Plashkes | Published: 17 February 2017 | Updated: ~

Stick man wheeling a patient on a gurney

The early health care after a major injury or illness is called

acute care

. Acute care is when serious and urgent health problems are addressed. It includes both emergency services in the community (like ambulance and paramedic services) and treatment at an acute care hospital. Acute care also describes any time after the initial injury when a person returns to the hospital because of a serious complication, new illness, or other major health problem.

Care in the first days and weeks after an SCI can often be overwhelming. Along with the pain and disability caused by the injury, the treatments during this time are often extensive and invasive. SCI affects every person differently, and it is difficult to predict how the body will react. Things can also change very quickly – a new infection can develop in mere hours. As a person with an SCI or as a friend or family member, make sure you ask questions of your healthcare team – part of their job is making sure that you are well-informed.