Hospital Patients Who Require an Alternate Level of Care

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Care Transitions
Country
Canada
Publishing Organisation
Health Quality Council of Alberta FOCUS (Fostering Open Communications that Unleash Solutions) on Emergency Departments
Type of Quality Indicator
Process
IOM Quality Dimension
Efficiency
Domain
Hospitalisation

Defining Attributes

Definition

Percentage of acute care inpatient days classified as Alternate Level of Care days.

Numerator

Total number of acute care inpatient Alternate Level of Care (ALC) days. Patients are classified as an ALC patient if they occupy an acute or sub acute hospital bed, and do not require the intensity of resources and/or services provided in that care setting; but do require an alternate level of care, so cannot be discharged home. Includes Acute care beds; Mental health beds; Rehabilitation beds; Sub-acute care beds; and Transition beds.

Denominator

Total number of acute care inpatient days.

Exclusions

Inpatients requiring acute care resources and/or services.

Use of Risk Adjustment
No
Risk Adjustments

None

Stratifications

None

Data Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Administrative data
Data Collection Methods

Alberta Health Services Provincial Discharge Abstract Database (DAD).

Frequency of Data Collection
Quarterly
Frequency of Data Collection in Days
91
Reporting Methods

FOCUS on Healthcare on the Health Quality Council of Alberta website.

Reporting Frequency
Monthly and quarterly
Reporting Frequency in Days
30-91
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No

Source and Reference Attributes

Link to Measurement Tools
Quality Indicator Confirmed to be Part of a Program Used to Monitor Quality and Safety of Care Among Older People at a Population-Level between 2012-2022
Yes
Assessed by the Australian Consortium for Aged Care Collaborators as Generally Containing Good Properties (Importance and Scientific Acceptability)
No
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
12 March 2025