1. ACUTE CARE
By: Allyson Coury

2. INTRODUCTION
A study taken in 1998 involving patients of both genders
from Acute care settings showed that patients with
orthopedic conditions who received Physical Therapy
were directly related to the improvement in functions on
their release date.
On average only 60% of Acute Care patients will be
discharged to go home.

3. OBJECTIVES
 Define acute care.
 Discuss the national percentage of PTA’s in acute care
and their average salary.
 List possible diagnosis of patients in this setting.
 Advanced skills for PTA’s in acute care settings.

4. DEFINE
Acute care: Providing short-term medical care
especially for serious acute diseases or trauma

5. PTA’S IN ACUTE CARE
 As of October 27, 2010 there were 144 PTA’s with a
membership to APTA were working in acute care
settings across the country.
 On average there are a larger percentage of females
in these settings then males.

6. SALARY
 A full time PTA on average makes about $49,000
dollars a year working in an acute care facility.

7. TREATMENTS
A study taken on October 24, 2008 of three large academic
medical centers in the Northeastern part of the US showed
that:
 Most patients in the facilities were over the age of 60
years old
 Over 60% of patients were diagnosed with either
orthopedic or medical/surgical
 More then 80% of patients had a goal of functional
ability in their treatment plans
 70% of PTs/PTAs communicated with other health care
team members for a patient on each visit
 Patients who had an intervention during the course of
their care plan had an increased potential of being released
early

8. WHAT INTERVENTIONS?
 Electrotherapy: therapy using electric currents
(ultrasound)
 Hydrotherapy: the therapeutic use of water (as in a
whirlpool bath)
 Wound care: cleaning, wrapping, and protecting a
wound from the environment.

9. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR
PTA’S?
Having increased knowledge in interventional therapies
and training in talking to other members of a health care
team will benefit their patients!

10. THINGS TO PONDER…
Now that you know more about the Acute Care setting is it for you?

11. References
 http://www.spinalcordcenter.org/ab
out/acute.html
 http://www.mater.org.au/Home/Serv
ices/Acute-Care-and-Rehabilitation-
Services
 http://www.nhspurchasing.com/broc
home.asp?OrgCode=1553&header
=product
 http://www.lawrencevillenr.com/sub
acute.shtml
 http://www.digitalforsyth.org/photos/
2098
 http://www.crmtrends.com/directma
il.html
 http://www.airphysicaltherapy.com/
about.htm
 http://primumn0nn0cere.wordpress.
com/2010/03/26/wound-care/
 http://canadajobhirings.blogspot
.com/
 http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?S
ection=PTA_Resources1&CONTENTID
=46042&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDispl
ay.cfm
 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/a
cute+care
 http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?S
ection=Chapters&template=/aptaapps/c
omponentsonline/componentsonline.cfm
&processForm=1&componentType=Sect
ions&specChoice=I&convertList2Form=y
es
 http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?S
ection=Workforce_Salaries_and_Stats&
Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenu
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mboInd=D document name: American
Physical Therapy Association: 2009
Median Income of Physical Therapist
Assistants Summary Report
 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Physical+t
herapists%27+management+of+patients
+in+the+acute+care+...-a0212035722
 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/el
ectrotherapy
 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/h
ydrotherapy