ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders
I Want To
ACUTE provides customized and comprehensive therapy for each patient. Our multidisciplinary team works together to create an individualized treatment plan for each patient that addresses the specific physical and mental aspects of his/her illness.
Depending on the team's assessment at the severity of each patient's case, typical length of stay at ACUTE is 14 to 21 days. Each treatment plan is completely individualized to the patient's individual needs.
A typical treatment plan includes:
Other ACUTE services include:
The goal of each patient's stay at the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders is medical stabilization.
To begin the journey toward healthy eating, each patient participates in menu planning during daily visits with a registered dietitian. Patients are encouraged to work with the dietitian to to create a balanced diet and choose a meal plan that will help them to progress safely and comfortably.
At ACUTE, nutritional plans are based on a slow, monitored progression of kilo-calories in order to reduce the discomforts of early nutritional rehabilitation and avoid the biochemical complications of refeeding syndrome.
In order to meet discharge criteria, typically within 14-21 days, patients must be consuming at least 2,000 calories per day or be consistently gaining two to three pounds of healthy body weight per week. Once a patient has become medically stable, he/she is transferred to a traditional eating disorder treatment program.
Does ACUTE use feeding tubes for nutritional rehabilitation?
ACUTE does not use naso-gastric (NG) feeding tubes for early refeeding like many eating disorder treatment centers. Patients consume a balanced oral diet based on medical and nutritional guidelines for early refeeding.
ACUTE has access to surgical expertise if and when a surgical percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG) or percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy tube (PEJ) is medically necessary.
Will ACUTE accommodate dietary restrictions? (Gluten-free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Food Allergies)
Yes. ACUTE will make an effort to accommodate some dietary restrictions with your understanding that this is an eating disorder treatment program.
Yes. ACUTE will make an effort to accommodate some dietary restrictions with your understanding that this is an eating disorder treatment program. Some dietary restrictions may be challenged and all allergies and intolerances must be documented and verified in your medical history. ACUTE is unable to accommodate a strict Vegan diet. Some Kosher options are available but ACUTE is unable to accomodate a strict Kosher diet.
Can I supplement if I am unable to finish my meal?
Yes. If you are unable to complete the meal that you and your dietitian have chosen, you will be required to drink the equivalent caloric amount of a supplement, such as Ensure, to meet your daily goals.
If I have specific dietary restrictions, can I bring my own food/supplement items from home?
No. ACUTE will make an attempt to accomodate all allergies and dietary restrictions as noted above with the options readily available within the hospital. Denver Health utilizes a standard foodservice company (Sodexo) for its meals. While there is a wide variety of options available, specialty items may be limited.
Although a large part of the patient's unique treatment plan consists of medical care to address health complications, nutritional and therapeutic support are also important components of care.
The multidisciplinary ACUTE team includes a staff psychologist, Dr. Susan Bennett, who provides individual, daily therapeutic sessions. Dr. Bennett works with patients to provide support and discuss their behaviors and motivations, while respecting that in this fragile medical state they may not be able to complete more intense psychotherapy.
The Therapeutic Role at ACUTE aims to:
Next: During Your Stay