An illness which requires very costly treatment; one which is catastrophic to the patient’s or family’s finances. The illness may be either acute or chronic, and it may run its course quickly or over a protracted period.
Severe illness resulting in the need for prolonged hospitalization, extended recuperation, or both. After recovery, there may be persistent residual disability.
A health condition that severely affects an individual’s physical, social, economic, or mental abilities and usually requires very expensive treatment. In 1978, HEW defined a catastrophic illness as one in which medical expenses exceeded $5000 in a 12-month period. In the US, about 2,500,000 persons experience a catastrophic illness each year. This segment of slightly more than 1% of the total population accounts for 20% of the total national expenditure for health care.
An unusually prolonged or complex illness, especially one that causes severe organ dysfunction or threatens life. Catastrophic illnesses often make exceptional demands on patients, caregivers, families, and health are resources.