Long Term Acute Care Facts & FAQs for Referring Physicians
May I be the attending physician for my patient?
Yes. Emory Long-Term Acute Care maintains an open admission policy. All attending or consulting physicians must have current privileges at Emory Long-Term Acute Care.
Our medical director and primary care physicians have expert knowledge and vast experience to meet the complex needs of the typical LTAC patient, and they work within the necessary interdisciplinary model of care provided by the LTAC program. Our staff will consult appropriate specialists and can assume attending responsibilities to lead the LTAC treatment plan and manage your patient’s day-to-day medical needs. We will provide ongoing communication with you to ensure continuity of care.
You are welcome to become a member of our team and continue in the care of your patient. To obtain privileges to become an attending or consulting physician, call Medical Staff Services at 404-501-5214.
Attending responsibilities:
- Upon admission, a member of the Emory Long-Term Acute Care primary care staff will be identified as the attending physician unless otherwise specified prior to the patient’s transfer. All attending or consulting physicians must have current privileges at Emory Long-Term Acute Care. The attending physician is responsible for the routine medical care and providing back-up coverage as needed.
- The attending physician must be familiar with and understand the requirements, goals and objectives of the LTAC program. Responsibilities include:
- 24/7 availability
- History and physical
- Admission orders
- Consultation for specialty management to meet the patient’s needs
- Interdisciplinary treatment plan oversight
- Discharge planning
- Participation or input into the weekly LTAC team conference (team conferences do not qualify as a separate physician’s visit)
- Daily visits as required
- The patient should be medically appropriate upon admission to LTAC and have met the admission criteria and approvals. Specialized services or needs must be communicated prior to admission when possible.
- Two physicians can be reimbursed when the specialties and diagnoses being treated are not the same.
- Documentation must be on the medical record in a timely manner and include:
- Medical necessity
- Review of diagnosis
- Treatment plan/changes in condition
- Response to treatment/progress toward goals
- Discharge planning
If I choose not to be the attending physician, what will my role be in my patient’s treatment?
As the referring and/or primary care physician, we will automatically forward all progress reports to your office as you specify. You are also welcome to attend our weekly team conferences, conducted at the same day and time each week, and continue following your patient while he/she is here at LTAC. When your patient is discharged, we will automatically contact your office to schedule a return appointment for him/her.
Will I lose my patient if I surrender attending responsibility to LTAC's primary care physicians?
No. We appreciate referring physicians continuing to monitor and participate in their patient’s treatment and recovery. During the course of the LTAC program, we will forward progress reports as you specify, and upon discharge, we will contact your office to schedule a return appointment for your patient. Also, you are welcome to attend our weekly patient care conferences.
How do I make a referral?
If you have a patient whom you believe is an appropriate candidate for the LTAC level of care, you can refer him/her via one of the following convenient ways:
- By phone at 404-501-6226
- By fax at 404-501-6334
- Online via Allscripts Referral system (participating healthcare facilities only)
A member of our staff will perform an assessment at no charge and help you determine if your patient meets our admissions criteria. The assessment can be conducted at an acute-care hospital, in a nursing home, in the physician’s office, or at the patient’s home. To schedule an assessment, call 404-501-6262.