An episode of acute care for an admitted patient is one in which the principal clinical intent is to do one or more of the following:

• manage labour (obstetric),
• cure illness or provide definitive treatment of injury,
• perform surgery,
• relieve symptoms of illness or injury (excluding palliative care),
• reduce severity of illness or injury,
• protect against exacerbation and/or complication of an illness and/or injury which could threaten life or normal functions,
• perform diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.