An intermediate or step-down facility is defined as a facility which is organized, operated, and maintained to provide for the monitoring and care of patients with moderate or potentially severe physiologic instability requiring technical support but not necessarily artificial life support.
A step down facility can be used after a hospitalization for a patient who is not strong enough to return home. These facilities are also called subacute or transitional units, and are usually located in a hospital or nursing home. They also typically have a greater patient-to-nurse ratio.
