Following a successful pilot, Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health is taking its hospital-at-home program systemwide.
In April, HMH teamed up with Medically Home to officially launch a hospital at home program. In the two months since, the program has treated nearly 100 patients — ahead of pace for what the health system expected at this point. A pilot phase of the program began in 2022 at three hospitals, during which it took two years to treat the same number of patients.
Robert Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, told Becker's the system intentionally started the pilot program with hospitals that take care of the sickest and most complex patients, and measured positive outcomes related to patient and clinician satisfaction, and reductions in length-of-stay and readmissions.
"That really led us to say we need to do this on a much broader scale, and we need to find the right partner," he said.
As of June, the average daily census for patients treated at home is 10, which leaders didn't anticipate reaching until December. By then, the program expects a daily census of 15 to 20.
"We have patients who are asking for it now," said Patrick Young, president of population health at Hackensack Meridian.
Through the new partnership, Medically Home serves as an operating partner, providing 24/7 command center services, logistics and the overall technology infrastructure required to provide hospital-level care from home. Health system leaders said this kind of structural development and support was the missing piece needed to scale and improve hospital-at-home care.
Leaders with Medically Home, which works with other prominent systems on hospital-at-home programs, such as Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, said the partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health is among its most successful launches thus far.
"This has been our fastest — to get to this scale within the first two months," said Rami Karijian, CEO of Medically Home.
Staff undergo a six month training process before the model is introduced at a new facility.
During that time, clinical and operational staff are trained on eligibility criteria, the technology platform, and are able to get all questions and concerns addressed. Leaders credit the program's smooth and steady rollout to these commitments on comprehensive training and transparent communication with staff.
"One of the things that the pilot taught us … is to make sure that we educate our team properly, and particularly that we have physician champions that feel comfortable in sending their patients to the hospital-from-home," Mr. Garrett said. "We did it very carefully, very methodically."
By early next year, Hackensack Meridian plans to bring the program live at two to three more of its facilities, which would bring the total to five hospitals. Ultimately, the plan is to bring hospital-at-home to all of 18 of its hospitals.
CMS' waiver for hospitals to provide acute care at home is set to expire Dec. 31, though legislation to extend funding through 2029 is making its way through Congress. Despite uncertainty surrounding the reimbursement of acute care delivered at home, many hospitals have continued to seek CMS approval for their programs this year.