Dallas-based Parkland Health launched its Hospital at Home program, according to a Sept. 21 news release.
The program enables patients to access hospital-level care in the comfort of their homes from physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and other members of the care team.
Qualifying patients receive home equipment that care team members monitor, in addition to keeping track of medication and assigning tasks for the day. Nurses bring medications to the home and provide infusion therapy if needed. Physicians also provide house calls as part of the service. 17 patients have participated in Parkland's Hospital at Home program, and the health system plans to expand the program in 2023.
Executive sponsor of Parkland's Hospital at Home program and Senior Vice President and Associate Chief Medical Officer Monal Shah, MD, said members of the care team also monitor for other factors that may influence a patient's health or well-being.
"For example, if patients do not have enough food at home, it can be hard for the body to heal. In that case, Parkland's dietitians will order daily meals that will be delivered to their home," said Dr. Shah.
The program is shown to reduce cost, patient readmissions, and emergency department use, in addition to lightening the load on radiology and lab services. The program also decreases patient falls while improving hospital capacity, patient and family satisfaction, patient activity, nutrition intake and quality of life.