Mass General Brigham's hospital-at-home program is the first to expand outside the home.
The Somerville, Mass.-based health system is partnering with the New England Center and Home for Veterans and healthcare innovation group Ariadne Labs to offer acute hospital care at home at Safe Haven, a homeless shelter for veterans in Boston.
"The Home Hospital care model offers an opportunity to promote health equity. By bringing high-quality care directly to veterans experiencing homelessness — a historically marginalized population facing significant barriers — we can ensure they receive the necessary care and support, ultimately transforming their health outcomes and bridging the gap in care access," said David Levine, MD, clinical director for research and development for Mass General Brigham Healthcare at Home, in a press release shared Nov. 6 with Becker's. "This program will help inform future implementation practices for providing care to this population."
Mass General Brigham already has the largest hospital-at-home program in the country, with the capacity to treat 70 patients at a time. Veterans at the shelter will now be eligible for the care model, which includes 24/7 remote monitoring and communication capabilities as well as at least two daily visits from a paramedic or nurse and a minimum of one virtual or in-person appointment a day with a physician or advanced practice provider.