Posted on: February 15, 2023
Accurate coding and reporting is a key component of bed utilization planning and it supports patients to receive timely and appropriate care.
Changing coding to Alternate Level of Care (ALC) indicates that the patient does not require the intensity of services provided in an acute care setting and could be discharged, but still is occupying an acute care bed.
ALC coding allows for accurate data tracking to better understand the current unit environment and support utilization. In order to receive ALC coding, the patient must be deemed medically stable by the Most Responsible physician. Instructions to designate ALC along with definitions can be found on the intranet here.
Each ALC code indicates what the major barrier is to that patient going home:
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ALC-ACT: Patients are medical stable but requiring less than a week of therapy support.
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ALC-COM: Requires community based services from MHSU, BIP, CLBC, Hospice.
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ALC-CWB: Healthy baby who accompanies patient.
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ALC-DIAG: Requires diagnostics available as outpatient but physician requires patient to stay in hospital.
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ALC-HES: Barriers to discharge of Housing, Economic or Social issues.
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ALC-HCC: Probable HCC client who requires assessment.
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ALC-AAPP: Awaiting completion of assessment for LTC.
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ALC-AAP: Assessed for LTC and waiting placement to first appropriate bed; and
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ALC-PRIV: Requires private home care or awaiting admission to private LTC.
If the patient becomes acute again, they must be recoded to an acute code. Please visit the Island Health Policy for Service Coding for Acute, Long Term Care, Tertiary Mental Health for a full list of Service Reporting Codes for Acute Care Facilities.