Table 1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria

1. Age ≥ 18 years

2. Health insurance with AOK Bayern

3. Inpatient neurological early rehabilitation with a neurological rehabilitation diagnosis

4. Mechanical ventilation and/or tracheal cannula

5. (Sub-)Acute medical condition (onset < 6 months before study entry)

6. Planned discharge to home-based intensive care

7. Informed consent for study participation

Exclusion criteria

1. Palliative treatment/life expectancy < 12 months (according to medical assessment)

2. Weaning/decannulation prospectively medically excluded (e.g., high cervical paraplegia, laryngeal tumor)

3. Preexisting home-based intensive care

4. Progressive neuromuscular disease (e.g., muscular dystrophy, ALS)

5. Home-based intensive care by a team already providing care to OptiNIV study participants