A local hospital has rolled out a new service that seeks to provide professional-level care within the patient’s own home.
Parkland Health’s new Hospital at Home (PHHH) program delivers hospital-level care in patients’ homes, providing physicians and other medical specialists, following the example of 200 hospitals in 36 states which offer similar programs.
The program claims to reduce costs, readmissions, emergency department room utilization, and other shortcomings. The goal is to improve such hospital issues as capacity, patient and family satisfaction, and other medical patient activities.
One patient who recently benefited from the new program was dress designer Gary Jackson. At 60 years old, Jackson not only faced impending work deadlines but also needed to stay home so he could continue to take care of his aged mother.
Jackson explained, “Being a part of this program gave me the freedom to be home and continue working … The entire process was very efficient and if I had a question, there was always someone available to help.”
“I’ve told several people about the Hospital at Home program,” Jackson said. “I had the freedom to make my design deadlines while still being hooked up to an IV. That’s something I would never have been able to do if I was still in the hospital.”
Parkland Health said 17 patients have participated in the program to date, and plans are underway to expand the program into 2023 to offer more care-at-home opportunities.
Monal Shah, MD, is the executive sponsor of the hospital’s program, a senior vice president, and an associate chief medical officer.
“All the care that a patient would receive in the hospital they receive at home,” she said. “The only thing missing is the four walls of the hospital.”
Patients who qualify for the program are loaned equipment that allows health care team members to continuously monitor vital signs, determine when a medication has been taken, and assign tasks for the day.
Registered nurses deliver medications to patients’ homes and, if necessary, provide infusion therapy. Patients or caregivers are trained to manage medications with the assistance of nurses, while vital signs are monitored remotely.