Transitional Care Units (TCUs) combine the advantages of rehabilitation and long-term care with the services of an acute care hospital. TCUs provide services for patients who are convalescing as well as those who need long-term care. TCU patients are typically more medically complex and require more nursing care. The goal of these units is for each patient to achieve the highest level of independence through individualized treatment plans. Although TCU patients experience a wide range of diagnoses, the most commonly found in a TCU include:
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- congestive heart failure
- cancer
- stroke
- enteral and parenteral nutrition
- intravenous antibiotic therapy
- post-surgical conditions
- complex decubitis or wound care
- patients/families needing education in self care (ostomies, colostomies, diabetes)
- post-orthopedic injury/surgery
- post-cerebrovascular accident
TCU patients typically require less intense therapy than IRF patients. This is often due to the complexity of a patient’s medical condition. Although the majority of TCU patients require some form of therapy, there are patients on TCUs who receive none.
