ABSTRACT

The care of the patient requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) presents a logistic and financial burden to many acute care facilities. In the United States, as the cost of staying in acute care is prohibitive (1), there are multiple alternative venues. Although options include rehabilitation hospitals with ventilator weaning programs, long-term care hospitals (LTCH) is the major alternative. Most LTCHs have well-established weaning programs, with validated outcomes. Notwithstanding that LTCHs are not available in all jurisdictions, they play a vital role in the continuum of care for patients requiring PMV.