Helping Patients Move Forward: Understanding Alternate Level of Care
Sometimes, a person is medically ready to leave the hospital but cannot yet return home or move to another care setting. This situation is known as alternate level of care (ALC). It means hospital care is no longer needed, but the right next step – such as home care, community services or a long-term care space – is not yet available.
Why staying in hospital longer than needed can be hard on patients
When patients remain in hospital after they no longer need acute care, the environment can become stressful and uncomfortable. Most hospitals are designed for short-term clinical care and not suited for longer recovery periods that focus on rehabilitation and daily living. For families, ALC can mean uncertainty and difficult decisions. At the same time, extended hospital stays limit space and delay access for other patients who need urgent, time-sensitive care.
ALC is more than a statistic. It’s an important measure of how well the system is working. It shows how smoothly people are able to move between hospitals to other parts of the health care system such as home care, community services and long-term care. When ALC rates are high, it means that patients are having difficulty accessing the next step in their care journey.
ALC indicators helps us understand where patients are getting delayed and also shows us where we can make a real difference. When we get this right, it’s not just about leaving hospital. It’s about helping people stay healthier and avoid future hospital visits.
Senior Vice-President, Sector Capacity and Performance at Ontario Health
What’s improving across Ontario
There has been meaningful progress across the province in the last decade. Through coordinated action by Ontario Health and health system partners, alongside investments from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Long-Term Care, ALC volumes are now the lowest they have been since 2015. These improvements have been sustained for the past three years, demonstrating that focused system-wide efforts are making a difference.
What’s helping people move out of hospital sooner includes:
- Investments from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Long-Tern Care, along with targeted local initiatives, are helping patients avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and reducing barriers to timely discharge
- Expanded Hospital-to-Home (H2H) programs which allow patients to transition home
- Increased access to home and community care
- New and redeveloped long-term care homes that provide higher levels of clinical support
Together, these efforts are supporting safer transitions, improving patient experience and easing pressure on hospitals, helping people get the care they need sooner.
What happens next
“Progress like this takes an entire system working together,” said Simanovski. “Through our collective focus on improving access and flow within the system, enabled by investments, we’re helping people move forward with confidence. I want to recognize our regional teams and partners across Ontario who have worked tirelessly to expand services, stand up new programs and improve processes and ultimately improve care for patients and families.”
This work continues. By refining care pathways, strengthening partnerships and expanding services – especially in rural and underserved areas – Ontario Health and its partners are helping ensure every person receives the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
More articles will be shared highlighting the work of regional partners and locally driven solutions across Ontario.
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Last Updated: June 04, 2026
