Hospital at Home Programs Refashion Care

Programs that allow patients who have acute medical problems to choose to receive care at home rather than stay in a hospital are transforming care for the chronically ill, according to a Kaiser Health News report.

There are only a few home-based hospital programs in the nation that allow patients to receive intensive care and medical monitoring from home. Medical supplies and medications are delivered to a family or friend helping to care for the patient and a nurse or care manager coordinates care, serving as a go-between for the hospital and patient. Telemedicine helps makes hospital at home programs possible.

There is a home hospital program in Albuquerque, N.M., which Presbyterian Healthcare Services operates, as well as programs in Portland, Ore.; Honolulu; Boise, Idaho and New Orleans, all run by the Veterans Health Administration.

A 2005 study of similar home care programs in Australia, England, Israel and Canada found that patient outcomes and satisfaction was similar or better in a home care setting, and the cost of care was 32 percent less than in a traditional hospital environment.

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