Hospital-at-Home: A Promising New Option that Improves Value and Quality of Care

Over the last few years, hospitals have begun to examine the way that they administer care to sick and afflicted patients. Hospital-at-home is a model that has gained significant traction as a new approach that could improve the value and quality of care provided by hospitals. The hospital-at-home approach enables patients to receive acute-level care in their home where possible, and there are many benefits to utilizing this care delivery model including a reduction in cost, improved patient outcomes, and an overall improved experience for the patient. 

 A Promising New Approach to Delivering Value-Based Care 

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a new look into how hospitals deliver care to patients, and it makes sense given the climate that a new approach, Hospital-at-Home, has emerged to help hospitals manage an influx of patients and to also deliver exceptional care. In certain situations, it makes the most sense to administer acute-level care to patients in their own home rather than in a hospital setting. While not possible for every case, there are many situations in which this type of care could supplement or completely replace curative care offered in a hospital setting. 

What is Hospital-At-Home?

Hospital-at-Home admits eligible patients into a program that provides them with care in their own home setting rather than in a hospital, as the name implies. This may be applicable to specific patient populations characterized with specific diagnoses or it could apply on a case-by-case basis. Models that adopt this methodology vary but tend to share some specific commonalities including being applicable mostly to patients that have shown they are stable and will not require immediate surgical care and intervention. 

Improving Patient Outcomes with Hospital-At-Home Care 

Hospital-at-Home when used properly has been shown to improve patient outcomes by offering a better overall experience for each patient. This model has also been shown to reduce unnecessary care costs as well as improve the overall value provided to the patient. It allows for flexibility and customization of care where there used to be a more rigid plan for treatment. 

To read the American Hospital Association’s publication on the value of the hospital-at-home model, visit: https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2020/12/issue-brief-creating-value-by-bringing-hospital-care-home_0.pdf