Clinical effectiveness of an intermediate care inpatient model based on integrated care pathways

Aim The aim of this study was to compare the clinical impact of two intermediate care pathways. Methods A prospective, uncontrolled before–after study was carried out to compare two non‐synchronic intermediate care frameworks in Spain. Participants in the control group were transferred to the intermediate care center by hospital request, whereas those in the intervention group (Badalona Integrated Care Model [BICM]) were transferred based on a territory approach considering the assessment of an intermediate care team. The clinical characteristics of study participants were assessed at admission and discharge. Results Compared with participants in the control group, those in the BICM group were significantly older (mean age 81.6 years [SD 10.3] vs 78.3 years [10.1], P