Direct admission to intermediate care for older adults with reactivated chronic diseases as an alternative to conventional hospitalization.

Background: When reactivations of chronic diseases cannot be managed at home, postacute intermediate-care geriatric units (ICGUs) might provide adequate and specialized support to primary care, based on comprehensive geriatric assessment and rehabilitation.

Objectives: To explore if direct admission to ICGUs of older adults with reactivated chronic diseases or acute common conditions superimposed to chronic diseases might be an alternative clinical pathway to conventional acute hospitalization followed by intermediate care rehabilitation.

Methods: Quasiexperimental pilot study.