Admission to ACUTE

Before admitting to ACUTE, each patient's case is evaluated individually, considering both medical and psychiatric history to ensure that ACUTE is the appropriate choice. ACUTE accepts patients 15 years and older of all gender identities who are experiencing medical complications from eating disorders or severe malnutrition.

View Full Admission Criteria

Is ACUTE right for me?

If you’re still unsure whether ACUTE is the right choice for you, please contact our admissions team. Our specialists can evaluate your needs and determine the appropriate level of care. Even if ACUTE isn’t right for you, our experienced admissions team can connect you with other programs that meet your needs.
Start an Assessment
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The Admissions Process

  • Call (877) 228-8348 to speak with a member of ACUTE's admissions team. The assessment will gather basic information about you or your loved one’s medical and psychiatric history, an overview of eating disorder behaviors and a history of past eating disorder treatment. We will also gladly provide an overview of our program and answer any initial questions you may have.  
  • Fax medical records to (303) 602-5559 to obtain insurance authorization for ACUTE. We'll need current medical records including:
    • Recent history & physical or progress notes with documented height and weight
    • Labs and blood Work (Chem-7 panel, serum phosphorus and magnesium)
    • Liver function tests
    • Vitals
    • EKG (if available)
  • We’ll help secure insurance authorization. The admissions team will collaborate with your medical insurance provider to secure the necessary prior authorization for your stay. ACUTE is in-network with most private insurance companies, but if your plan is out-of-network, we can pursue an out-of-network waiver or a single case agreement.
  • We schedule admission. Once your admission is approved by our clinical team and your insurance company has authorized your stay, we will provide detailed instructions for admission to ACUTE.
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Getting to ACUTE

Air Travel

We recommend flying into Denver International Airport (DEN) if you are flying to Denver and have been cleared to fly commercially. Please wait to purchase flights until you have been approved for admission by our staff.

ACUTE also provides transportation from the airport to ACUTE. Our admissions team will handle the logistics and give you the details of your transportation once your admission and flights are confirmed.

Air Ambulance Transfer

For those with severe eating disorders or malnutrition, ACUTE’s admissions team collaborates with air ambulance organizations to ensure safe transportation to ACUTE from any location in the United States and internationally. This process eliminates the logistical challenges and risks associated with commercial air travel, rideshare services and hotels. Air ambulance services can be especially valuable for individuals experiencing:

  • Weakness, mobility limitations or inability to engage in basic self-care
  • Physical or emotional changes
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Psychiatric symptoms alongside medical issues

For 90% of privately insured patients with an air ambulance benefit, ACUTE partners with air transport providers to deliver safe, urgent transport to our inpatient medical stabilization unit at Denver Health Medical Center in less than 48 hours.

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ACUTE Earns Prestigious Center of Excellence Designation from Anthem
In 2018, the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders & Severe Malnutrition at Denver Health was honored by Anthem Health as a Center of Excellence for Medical Treatment of Severe and Extreme Eating Disorders. ACUTE is the first medical unit ever to achieve this designation in the field of eating disorders. It comes after a rigorous review process.

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