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The focus on acute care rather than prevention highlights an approach that aligns with tertiary prevention. Tertiary prevention is concerned with managing and mitigating the impact of health conditions that have already been diagnosed, aiming to reduce the severity, complications, or long-term effects of illness and disease. This type of prevention involves interventions that optimize the management of a disease, such as rehabilitation, follow-up care, and a focus on improving quality of life for those already affected.

In contrast, primary prevention aims to prevent diseases before they occur through measures such as vaccinations and healthy lifestyle promotion. Secondary prevention targets early detection and intervention to halt disease progression, like screenings and regular check-ups. Quaternary prevention seeks to prevent unnecessary interventions in patients who are over-medicated or undergoing unnecessary testing. Therefore, the emphasis on treating existing conditions rather than investing in preventive measures signifies a reliance on tertiary care in the healthcare system.