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Quaternary (HCL_4)

DGIF baseline 2026-1, the latest. Earlier baselines: timemap.

Name

quaternary

Attribute

HCL Healthcare Level

Definition

Provides advanced levels of medicine which are highly specialised and not widely accessed, and usually only offered in a very limited number of national or international centres. Experimental medicine and some types of uncommon diagnostic or surgical procedures are considered quaternary care.

Description

Quaternary care also tends to have large catchment areas, often catering for individuals, not only countrywide but worldwide, particularly when providing care for very rare health conditions with small numbers of patients globally. This may have significant impacts for the patient with large distances delaying diagnosis and treatment with complications in the coordination of care between all healthcare providers involved in the patient's care, particularly after discharge when the responsibility for care typically returns to the patient’s primary care physician. Given the complexity or rarity in conditions of patients attending quaternary centres longer hospital stays and increased mortality may also be seen at this level of care.

Accepted

2022-08-24

Defined by

Physiopedia

Allowed for

ZI118 Medical Amenity