Acute care is a level of health care in which a patient is treated for a brief but severe episode of illness, for conditions that are the result of disease or trauma, and during recovery from surgery.

An acute care hospital is defined as a short-term hospital that has facilities, medical staff and all necessary personnel to provide diagnosis, care and treatment of a wide range of acute conditions, including injuries. In addition to acute care hospitals, there are several other types of hospitals including chronic disease, hospice, and hospitals for persons with mental illness