Defining and disseminating the hospital-at-home model

There's no place like home-Integrating a pharmacist into the hospital-in-home model

BACKGROUND

Hospital-in-home (HIH) is an innovative model that provides hospital-level care in a patient's home. Pharmacists can enhance the HIH model through medication reconciliation and medication optimization.

OBJECTIVES

To integrate a clinical pharmacist into the HIH model and to conduct a formative evaluation of pharmacist contributions, including medication discrepancy resolution, cost savings, and cost avoidance.

PRACTICE DESCRIPTION

This is a prospective quality improvement study conducted at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System.

PRACTICE INNOVATION

We integrated a pharmacist into the HIH model. The pharmacist conducted a medication reconciliation at hospital discharge and after discharge through home video telehealth and provided longitudinal medication management.

EVALUATION METHODS

We adapted the PRECEDE-PROCEED model to guide program implementation. We conducted a formative evaluation using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance framework, evaluating the reach, efficacy, adoption, and implementation of the pharmacist in the HIH team. We calculated cost savings associated with pharmacist-managed home intravenous (IV) therapy, cost avoidance from deprescribing, and cost avoidance from earlier hospital discharge.

RESULTS

The HIH program enrolled 102 patients from May 2019 to March 2020. The pharmacist completed 99 (97%) discharge and 95 (93%) postdischarge medication reconciliations, most of which 71 (75%) were conducted using home video telehealth. The pharmacist identified and resolved a total of 453 medication discrepancies: 181 (40%) at discharge and 272 (60%) during postdischarge medication reconciliation. A total of 84 (19%) discrepancies were considered high risk. The pharmacist managed 104 days of home IV therapy, resulting in a cost savings of approximately $17,000. The cost avoided by identifying and deprescribing 145 inappropriate medications was approximately $51,000. The cost avoided by earlier hospital discharge was $1.2 million.

CONCLUSION

Integrating a pharmacist into the HIH model enables the detection and resolution of medication discrepancies. Cost savings from medication deprescribing, cost avoided from pharmacist-managed home IV therapy, and cost avoided from early hospital discharge totaled $1268 million.

Insights From Rapid Deployment of a "Virtual Hospital" as Standard Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

Pandemics disrupt traditional health care operations by overwhelming system resource capacity but also create opportunities for care innovation.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the development and rapid deployment of a virtual hospital program, Atrium Health hospital at home (AH-HaH), within a large health care system.

DESIGN

Prospective case series.

SETTING

Atrium Health, a large integrated health care organization in the southeastern United States.

PATIENTS

1477 patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from 23 March to 7 May 2020 who received care via AH-HaH.

INTERVENTION

A virtual hospital model providing proactive home monitoring and hospital-level care through a virtual observation unit (VOU) and a virtual acute care unit (VACU) in the home setting for eligible patients with COVID-19.

MEASUREMENTS

Patient demographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, treatments administered (intravenous fluids, antibiotics, supplemental oxygen, and respiratory medications), transfer to inpatient care, and hospital outcomes (length of stay, intensive care unit [ICU] admission, mechanical ventilation, and death) were collected from electronic health record data.

RESULTS

1477 patients received care in either the AH-HaH VOU or VACU or both settings, with a median length of stay of 11 days. Of these, 1293 (88%) patients received care in the VOU only, with 40 (3%) requiring inpatient hospitalization. Of these 40 patients, 16 (40%) spent time in the ICU, 7 (18%) required ventilator support, and 2 (5%) died during their hospital admission. In total, 184 (12%) patients were ever admitted to the VACU, during which 21 patients (11%) required intravenous fluids, 16 (9%) received antibiotics, 40 (22%) required respiratory inhaler or nebulizer treatments, 41 (22%) used supplemental oxygen, and 24 (13%) were admitted as an inpatient to a conventional hospital. Of these 24 patients, 10 (42%) required ICU admission, 1 (3%) required a ventilator, and none died during their hospital admission.

LIMITATION

Generalizability is limited to patients with a working telephone and the ability to comply with the monitoring protocols.

CONCLUSION

Virtual hospital programs have the potential to provide health systems with additional inpatient capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

Atrium Health.

Comparison of Hospital-at-Home models: a systematic review of reviews

OBJECTIVES

To provide an overview of the safety and effectiveness of Hospital-at-Home (HaH) according to programme type (early-supported discharge (ESD) vs admission avoidance (AA)), and identify the model with higher evidence for addressing clinical, length of stay (LOS) and cost outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic review of reviews was conducted by performing a search on PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Web of Science and Scopus (January 2005 to June 2020) for English-language systematic reviews evaluating HaH. Data on primary outcomes (mortality, readmissions, costs, LOS), secondary outcomes (patient/caregiver outcomes) and process indicators were extracted. Quality of the reviews was assessed using Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews-2. There was no registered protocol.

RESULTS

Ten systematic reviews were identified (four high quality, five moderate quality and one low quality). The reviews were classified according to three use cases. ESD reviews generally revealed comparable mortality (RR 0.92-1.03) and readmissions (RR 1.09-1.25) to inpatient care, shorter hospital LOS (MD -6.76 to -4.44 days) and unclear findings for costs. AA reviews observed a trend towards lower mortality (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.09) and costs, and comparable or lower readmissions (RR 0.68-0.98). Among reviews including both programme types (ESD/AA), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease reviews revealed lower mortality (RR 0.65-0.68) and post-HaH readmissions (RR 0.74-0.76) but unclear findings for resource use.

CONCLUSION

For suitable patients, HaH generally results in similar or improved clinical outcomes compared with inpatient treatment, and warrants greater attention in health systems facing capacity constraints and rising costs. Preliminary comparisons suggest prioritisation of AA models over ESD due to potential benefits in costs and clinical outcomes. Nonetheless, future research should clarify costs of HaH programmes given the current low-quality evidence, as well as address evidence gaps pertaining to caregiver outcomes and adverse events under HaH care.

Home-Based Care for People with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) during COVID-19 Pandemic: From Challenges to Solutions

There has been supporting evidence that older adults with underlying health conditions form the majority of the fatal cases in the current novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. While the impact of COVID-19 is affecting the general public, it is clear that these distressful experiences will be magnified in older adults, particularly people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD), making them the most vulnerable group during this time. People with differing degrees of ADRD are especially susceptible to the virus, not only because of their difficulties in assessing the threat or remembering the safety measures, but also because of the likelihood to be subject to other risk factors, such as lack of proper care and psychological issues. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss the challenges related to home-based care for people with ADRD during a pandemic and propose a formulation of systematic solutions to address these challenges and to alleviate the social and economic impact resulting from the crisis.

Clinic- and Hospital-Based Home Care, Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) and the Evolving Clinical Responsibilities of the Pharmacist

Clinic- and hospital-based home care describes models of care where services commonly associated with hospital inpatient care are provided at the patient's home or in an outpatient or community-based clinic. Hospital in the Home (HITH), also termed Hospital at Home (HaH) in parts of Europe and America, is a common and important example of this type of care. Other examples include infusion centers, skilled nursing facilities (particularly in the USA), self-administration models (including home infusion services) and administration through outpatient or community clinics. Different models of HITH care are used internationally and these encompass a wide range of services. Medication administration, particularly outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT), is an important element in many of these models of care. There is a key role for pharmacists since the provision of medication is integral in this model of patient care outside the hospital setting. Data on the growing importance of HITH and OPAT as well as the administration of medications suited to clinic- and hospital-based home care, including subcutaneous and intramuscular injectables, immunoglobulins and other blood fractions, cancer chemotherapy, total parenteral nutrition, biologicals/biosimilars, vasopressors and enzymes, using differing service models, are described. The pharmacist's role is evolving from that involved primarily with dose preparation and supply of medications. Their clinical expertise in medication management ensures that they are an integral member and leader in these models of care. Their role ensures the safe and quality use of medicines, particularly across transitions of care, with the pharmacist taking on the roles of educator and consultant to patients and health professional colleagues. Activities such as antimicrobial stewardship and ongoing monitoring of patients and outcomes is fundamental to ensure quality patient outcomes in these settings.

Telemedicine in myocarditis: Evolution of a mutidisciplinary "disease unit" at the time of COVID-19 pandemic

Myocarditis Disease Unit (MDU) is a functional multidisciplinary network designed to offer multidisciplinary assistance to patients with myocarditis. More than 300 patients coming from the whole Country are currently followed up at a specialized multidisciplinary outpatient clinic. Following the pandemic outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in Italy, we present how the MDU rapidly evolved to a “tele-MDU”, via a dedicated multitasking digital health platform.

Differences in Results and Related Factors Between Hospital-at-Home Modalities in Catalonia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Hospital-at-home (HaH) is a healthcare modality that provides active treatment by healthcare staff in the patient’s home for a condition that would otherwise require hospitalization. The aims were to describe the characteristics of different types of hospital-at-home (HaH), assess their results, and examine which factors could be related to these results. A cross-sectional study based on data from all 2014 HaH contacts from Catalonia was designed. The following HaH modalities were considered—admission avoidance (n = 7214; 75.1%) and early assisted discharge (n = 2387; 24.9%). The main outcome indicators were readmission, mortality, and length of stay (days). Multivariable models were fitted to assess the association between explanatory factors and outcomes. Hospital admission avoidance is a scheme in which, instead of being admitted to acute care hospitals, patients are directly treated in their own homes. Early assisted discharge is a scheme in which hospital in-care patients continue their treatment at home. In the hospital avoidance modality, there were 8.3% readmissions, 0.9% mortality, and a mean length of stay (SD) of 9.6 (10.6) days. In the early assisted discharge modality, these figures were 7.9%, 0.5%, and 9.8 (11.1), respectively. In both modalities, readmission and mean length of stay were related to comorbidity and type of hospital, and mortality with age. The results of HaH in Catalonia are similar to those observed in other contexts. The factors related to these results identified might help to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the different HaH modalities.

Hospital-Level Care at Home for Acutely Ill Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Substitutive hospital-level care in a patient's home may reduce cost, health care use, and readmissions while improving patient experience, although evidence from randomized controlled trials in the United States is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

To compare outcomes of home hospital versus usual hospital care for patients requiring admission.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03203759).

SETTING

Academic medical center and community hospital.

PATIENTS

91 adults (43 home and 48 control) admitted via the emergency department with selected acute conditions.

INTERVENTION

Acute care at home, including nurse and physician home visits, intravenous medications, remote monitoring, video communication, and point-of-care testing.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome was the total direct cost of the acute care episode (sum of costs for nonphysician labor, supplies, medications, and diagnostic tests). Secondary outcomes included health care use and physical activity during the acute care episode and at 30 days.

RESULTS

The adjusted mean cost of the acute care episode was 38% (95% CI, 24% to 49%) lower for home patients than control patients. Compared with usual care patients, home patients had fewer laboratory orders (median per admission, 3 vs. 15), imaging studies (median, 14% vs. 44%), and consultations (median, 2% vs. 31%). Home patients spent a smaller proportion of the day sedentary (median, 12% vs. 23%) or lying down (median, 18% vs. 55%) and were readmitted less frequently within 30 days (7% vs. 23%).

LIMITATION

The study involved 2 sites, a small number of home physicians, and a small sample of highly selected patients (with a 63% refusal rate among potentially eligible patients); these factors may limit generalizability.

CONCLUSION

Substitutive home hospitalization reduced cost, health care use, and readmissions while increasing physical activity compared with usual hospital care.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

Partners HealthCare Center for Population Health and internal departmental funds.

Burnout Among Staff in a Home Hospital Pilot

Background

Burnout affects large portions of the healthcare workforce and is associated with increased medical errors, decreased patient experience and adherence, loss of professionalism, and decreased productivity. Little data exists on how novel clinical care settings might impact burnout. We studied the experience and burnout of staff involved in a home hospital pilot, where acutely ill patients were cared for at home as a substitute for traditional hospitalization.

Methods

We analyzed evaluations completed by home hospital staff (physicians, registered nurses, and research assistants) at the conclusion of a 2-month pilot program. Our primary outcome was burnout evaluated by the Mini Z Burnout Survey. Secondary outcomes included overall job satisfaction, work environment, workload, and team evaluation measured on a 5-point Likert scale.

Results

Eight of nine (89%) staff completed evaluations. Seven of eight (88%) staff had no symptoms of burnout; one (13%) was under stress but did not feel burned out. Median overall satisfaction with home hospital was 4.5/5.0 (interquartile range (IQR), 1.0). Most staff (6/8; 75%) “strongly agreed” that their professional values were well-aligned with the program. Three of six (50%) “entirely” or “very much” preferred home hospital to their standard clinical setting. Six of eight (75%) staff felt that their opinions were “entirely” heard; four of eight (50%) felt the team “entirely” valued each of its participants.

Conclusions

Novel clinical care settings like home hospital may lead to low staff burnout, high job satisfaction, and a healthy work environment. Further study is warranted.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Trends in Aggressive Inpatient Care at the End of Life for Patients With Stage IV Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Patients with metastatic lung cancer are treated with palliative intent. Aggressive care at the end of life is a marker of poor-quality care. National trends and factors related to aggressive inpatient care at the end of life for these patients have not been evaluated.

METHODS

Patients with stage IV lung cancer and a terminal hospitalization were identified in the National Inpatient Sample database between 1998 and 2014. Longitudinal analysis was conducted to determine trends in aggressive inpatient care at the end of life and multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine associations with patient and hospital characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 412,946 patients met the inclusion criteria. From 1998 to 2014, the proportion of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) during the terminal hospitalization increased from 13.3% to 27.9% (P < .001). The ICU stay translated into a higher mean total cost of care (+$18,461; 95% CI, $17,460 to $19,463). Promisingly, palliative care encounters for terminal hospitalizations also increased during this period from 8.7% to 53.0% (P < .01) and were correlated with a decrease in aggressive care at the end of life. However, this did not offset the trend in increased ICU use; mean total costs for a terminal hospitalization increased from $14,000 to $19,500, adjusted for inflation. A multivariable model demonstrates variation by patient and hospital characteristics in aggressive care use.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with metastatic lung cancer there has been a substantial increase in ICU use during terminal hospitalizations, resulting in high cost for the health care system.

The Resurgence of Home-Based Primary Care Models in the United States

This article describes the forces behind the resurgence of home-based primary care (HBPC) in the United States and then details different HBPC models. Factors leading to the resurgence include an aging society, improved technology, an increased emphasis on home and community services, higher fee-for-service payments, and health care reform that rewards value over volume. The cost savings come principally from reduced institutional care in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. HBPC targets the most complex and costliest patients in society. An interdisciplinary team best serves this high-need population. This remarkable care model provides immense provider satisfaction. HBPC models differ based on their mission, target population, geography, and revenue structure. Different missions include improved care, reduced costs, reduced readmissions, and teaching. Various payment structures include fee-for-service and value-based contracts such as Medicare Shared Savings Programs, Medicare capitation programs, or at-risk contracts. Future directions include home-based services such as hospital at home and the expansion of the home-based workforce. HBPC is an area that will continue to expand. In conclusion, HBPC has been shown to improve the quality of life of home-limited patients and their caregivers while reducing health care costs.

Hospital-Level Care at Home for Acutely Ill Adults: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Hospitals are standard of care for acute illness, but hospitals can be unsafe, uncomfortable, and expensive. Providing substitutive hospital-level care in a patient's home potentially reduces cost while maintaining or improving quality, safety, and patient experience, although evidence from randomized controlled trials in the US is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

Determine if home hospital care reduces cost while maintaining quality, safety, and patient experience.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults admitted via the emergency department with any infection or exacerbation of heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or asthma.

INTERVENTION

Home hospital care, including nurse and physician home visits, intravenous medications, continuous monitoring, video communication, and point-of-care testing.

MAIN MEASURES

Primary outcome was direct cost of the acute care episode. Secondary outcomes included utilization, 30-day cost, physical activity, and patient experience.

KEY RESULTS

Nine patients were randomized to home, 11 to usual care. Median direct cost of the acute care episode for home patients was 52% (IQR, 28%; p = 0.05) lower than for control patients. During the care episode, home patients had fewer laboratory orders (median per admission: 6 vs. 19; p < 0.01) and less often received consultations (0% vs. 27%; p = 0.04). Home patients were more physically active (median minutes, 209 vs. 78; p < 0.01), with a trend toward more sleep. No adverse events occurred in home patients, one occurred in control patients. Median direct cost for the acute care plus 30-day post-discharge period for home patients was 67% (IQR, 77%; p < 0.01) lower, with trends toward less use of home-care services (22% vs. 55%; p = 0.08) and fewer readmissions (11% vs. 36%; p = 0.32). Patient experience was similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of substitutive home-hospitalization compared to in-hospital usual care reduced cost and utilization and improved physical activity. No significant differences in quality, safety, and patient experience were noted, with more definitive results awaiting a larger trial. Trial Registration NCT02864420.

Simulation of home-hospital impacts on crowding – FM implications

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate home-hospital implications for facility management (FM) and, in particular, ED crowding. Home-hospital programs, in which select patients receive hospital-level care at home, can extend hospital facility capacity. Emergency department (ED) crowding, a sensitive hospital capacity indicator, is associated with unsafe operations and reduced quality of care.

Design/methodology/approach

The impact of a home-hospital program on crowding was analyzed with a discrete-event simulation model using one month of historical data from a case hospital. Time ED patients waited for inpatient beds was the primary endpoint. Five scenarios with different levels of patient suitability for home-hospital were each run 30 times. Differences were evaluated using paired t-tests.

Findings

Implementing home-hospital reduced ED crowding by up to 3 per cent. Additionally, the simulation yielded insights regarding advantages and limitations of various home-hospital arrangements, suggested which hospital types may be the best candidates for home-hospital and highlighted the role of bed-cleaning turnaround times and environmental services staffing schedules in operations.

Research limitations/implications

This research examined home-hospital and crowding at one hospital. Developing a model that accounts for all hospital types requires significant data and many hospital partnerships but could allow for more informed decisions regarding implementation of such programs.

Social implications

This research has implications for ensuring access to ED care, an important source of acute care generally and particularly for the underserved.

Originality/value

This research systematically evaluates home-hospital’s impact on ED crowding. Simulation modeling resulted in analytical results and allowed for evaluation of what-if scenarios providing recommendations for hospital FMs on their role in decreasing ED boarding.

Cost-minimization analysis favors outpatient quick diagnosis unit over hospitalization for the diagnosis of potentially serious diseases

BACKGROUND

Quick diagnosis units (QDUs) are a promising alternative to conventional hospitalization for the diagnosis of suspected serious diseases, most commonly cancer and severe anemia. Although QDUs are as effective as hospitalization in reaching a timely diagnosis, a full economic evaluation comparing both approaches has not been reported.

AIMS

To evaluate the costs of QDU vs. conventional hospitalization for the diagnosis of cancer and anemia using a cost-minimization analysis on the proven assumption that health outcomes of both approaches were equivalent.

METHODS

Patients referred to the QDU of Bellvitge University Hospital of Barcelona over 51 months with a final diagnosis of severe anemia (unrelated to malignancy), lymphoma, and lung cancer were compared with patients hospitalized for workup with the same diagnoses. The total cost per patient until diagnosis was analyzed. Direct and non-direct costs of QDU and hospitalization were compared.

RESULTS

Time to diagnosis in QDU patients (n=195) and length-of-stay in hospitalized patients (n=237) were equivalent. There were considerable costs savings from hospitalization. Highest savings for the three groups were related to fixed direct costs of hospital stays (66% of total savings). Savings related to fixed non-direct costs of structural and general functioning were 33% of total savings. Savings related to variable direct costs of investigations were 1% of total savings. Overall savings from hospitalization of all patients were €867,719.31.

CONCLUSION

QDUs appear to be a cost-effective resource for avoiding unnecessary hospitalization in patients with anemia and cancer. Internists, hospital executives, and healthcare authorities should consider establishing this model elsewhere.

Intravenous antimicrobial therapy in the hospital-at-home setting: data from the Spanish Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Registry

Aim: To evaluate outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) in the hospital-at-home (HaH) model, using data from a Spanish registry. Patients & methods: We describe episodes/characteristics of patients receiving OPAT. Results: Four thousand and five patients were included (mean age 66.2 years), generating 4416 HaH episodes, 4474 infections and 5088 antibiotic treatments. Most patients were from the hospital admission ward and emergency department. Respiratory, urinary and intra-abdominal infections predominated (72%). Forty-six different antimicrobials were used, including combinations of ≥2 drugs (20.7%). Most HaH episodes had a successful outcome (91%). Conclusion: Our findings are similar to those obtained previously although our study case profiles differ, suggesting that disease processes of greater severity and complexity can be treated using this healthcare model, without compromising patient safety.

Hospitalization-Associated Disability in Adults Admitted to a Safety-Net Hospital

BACKGROUND

Little is known about hospitalization-associated disability (HAD) in older adults who receive care in safety-net hospitals.

OBJECTIVES

To describe HAD and to examine its association with age in adults aged 55 and older hospitalized in a safety-net hospital.

DESIGN

Secondary post hoc analysis of a prospective cohort from a discharge intervention trial, the Support from Hospital to Home for Elders.

SETTING

Medicine, cardiology, and neurology inpatient services of San Francisco General Hospital, a safety-net hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 583 participants 55 and older who spoke English, Spanish, or Chinese. We determined the incidence of HAD 30 days post-hospitalization and ORs for HAD by age group.

MEASUREMENTS

The outcome measure was death or HAD at 30 days after hospital discharge. HAD is defined as a new or additional disability in one or more activities of daily living (ADL) that is present at hospital discharge compared to baseline. Participants' functional status at baseline (2 weeks prior to admission) and 30 days post-discharge was ascertained by self-report of ADL function.

RESULTS

Many participants (75.3 %) were functionally independent at baseline. By age group, HAD occurred as follows: 27.4 % in ages 55-59, 22.2 % in ages 60-64, 17.4 % in ages 65-69, 30.3 % in ages 70-79, and 61.7 % in ages 80 or older. Compared to the youngest group, only the adjusted OR for HAD in adults over 80 was significant, at 2.45 (95 % CI 1.17, 5.15).

CONCLUSIONS

In adults at a safety-net hospital, HAD occurred in similar proportions among adults aged 55-59 and those aged 70-79, and was highest in the oldest adults, aged ≥ 80. In safety-net hospitals, interventions to reduce HAD among patients 70 years and older should consider expanding age criteria to adults as young as 55.

Impact and costs of home-based trial of void compared with the day care setting

AIMS

This paper presents the relative merits and comparative costs of conducting trial of void using Hospital-In-The-Home vs. the Day Procedure Unit.

BACKGROUND

Hospitals increasingly discharge patients with acute urinary retention with indwelling urinary catheters. For these to be removed and patients supported to return to normal urinary function, outpatient or in-home services are used. To date, the relative effectiveness and costs of Hospital-In-The-Home care and Day Procedure Unit care for trial of void have not been examined.

DESIGN

This retrospective study used a static-group comparison design.

METHODS

Hospital administrative data from 1 February 2009-30 March 2011 for patients having trial of void in the Day Procedure Unit (n = 107) and Hospital-In-The-Home (n = 163) of a tertiary hospital in Western Australia were compared in terms of patient outcomes and costs.

RESULTS

Day Procedure Unit patients had longer wait times than Hospital-In-The-Home patients; there was no difference between the two groups for average per patient days of service or successful first trials. Hospital-In-The-Home care did not increase the overall period of care. Per patient average ward-equivalent cost in the Day Procedure Unit was A$396 higher than the Hospital-In-The-Home ward-equivalent cost. The average cost saving per patient for Hospital-In-The-Home care including trial of void cost and emergency department visits was A$117.

CONCLUSION

Patient outcomes from Hospital-In-The-Home trial of void in low-risk patients were comparable to those of Day Procedure Unit care and less costly. Hospital-In-The-Home care for this well-defined procedure could permit more efficient management of patient throughput.

An examination of family caregiver experiences during care transitions of older adults

This study explored informal family caregiver experiences in supporting care transitions between hospital and home for medically complex older adults. Using a qualitative, grounded-theory approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with community and resource case managers, as well as with informal caregivers of older hip-fracture and stroke patients, and of those recovering from hip replacement surgery. Six properties characterizing caregiver needs in successfully transitioning care between hospital and home were integrated into a theory addressing both a transitional care timeline and the emotional journey. The six properties were (1) assessment of unique family situation; (2) practical information, education, and training; (3) involvement in planning process; (4) agreement between formal and informal caregivers; (5) time to make arrangements in personal life; and (6) emotional readiness. This work will support research and clinical efforts to develop more well-informed and relevant interventions to most appropriately support patients and families during transitional care.

Feasibility study for early supported discharge in adults with respiratory infection in the UK

Background

Many patients with pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infection that could be treated as outpatients according to their clinical severity score, are in fact admitted to hospital. We investigated whether, with medical and social input, these patients could be discharged early and treated at home.

Objectives: (1) To assess the feasibility of providing an early supported discharge scheme for patients with pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infection (2) To assess the patient acceptability of a study comprising of randomisation to standard hospital care or early supported discharge scheme.

Methods

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Liverpool, UK. Two University Teaching hospitals; one city-centre, 1 suburban in Liverpool, a city with high deprivation scores and unemployment rates.

Participants: 200 patients screened: 14 community-dwelling patients requiring an acute hospital stay for pneumonia or lower respiratory tract infection were recruited.

Intervention: Early supported discharge scheme to provide specialist respiratory care in a patient’s own home as a substitute to acute hospital care.

Main outcome measures: Primary - patient acceptability. Secondary – safety/mortality, length of hospital stay, readmission, patient/carer (or next of kin) satisfaction, functional status and symptom improvement.

Results

42 of the 200 patients screened were eligible for early supported discharge; 10 were only identified at the point of discharge, 18 declined participation and 14 were randomised to either early supported discharge or standard hospital care. The total hospital length of hospital stay was 8.33 (1–31) days in standard hospital care and 3.4 (1–7) days in the early supported discharge scheme arm. In the early supported discharge scheme arm patient carers reported higher satisfaction with care and there were less readmissions and hospital-acquired infections.

Limitations: A small study in a single city. This was a feasibility study and therefore not intended to compare outcome data.

Conclusions

An early supported discharge scheme for patients with pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infection was feasible. Larger numbers of patients would be eligible if future work included patients with dementia and those residing in care homes.

Trial registration

ISRCTN25542492.

Should alternatives to conventional hospitalisation be promoted in an era of financial constraint?

BACKGROUND

Because the current economic crisis has led to austerity in health policies, with severe restrictions on public health care, avoiding unnecessary admissions and shortening hospital stays is rapidly becoming an urgent priority. Alternatives to hospitalisation replace or shorten hospital processes, including diagnosis, monitoring, treatment and follow-up. This review aims to present the available evidence on alternatives to conventional hospitalisation for medical disorders; options for surgery, psychiatry and palliative care are largely excluded.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Narrative review.

RESULTS

The main alternatives to conventional hospitalisation include day centres (DC), quick diagnosis units (QDU), hospital at home (HaH) and, in some circumstances, telemonitoring. DC increase patient comfort, reduce costs and can improve efficiency. In generally healthy patients with suspected severe disease, QDU may be a good alternative to hospitalisation for diagnostic procedures. However, their cost-effectiveness remains to be clearly proven. Randomised controlled trials have shown that hospital-at-home (HaH) can lead to earlier hospital discharges, improve outcomes and reduce costs in patients with prevalent chronic diseases. Although telemonitoring seems to be promising and its use is increasing, methodologically sounder studies with a higher level of evidence are needed to assess its clinical effectiveness.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors such as ageing, the need for an earlier diagnosis of suspected severe disease, the increasing complexity of medical care and the increasing costs of hospitalisation mean that, whenever possible, giving priority to less expensive alternatives to hospital admission, such as QDU, DC, HaH and telemedicine, is an urgent task in the current economic crisis.

Evolving prehospital, emergency department, and "inpatient" management models for geriatric emergencies

Alternative management methods are essential to ensure high-quality and efficient emergency care for the growing number of geriatric adults worldwide. Protocols to support early condition-specific treatment of older adults with acute severe illness and injury are needed. Improved emergency department care for older adults will require providers to address the influence of other factors on the patient's health. This article describes recent and ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of emergency care for older adults using alternative management approaches spanning the spectrum from prehospital care, through the emergency department, and into evolving inpatient or outpatient processes of care.

Costs for 'hospital at home' patients were 19 percent lower, with equal or better outcomes compared to similar inpatients

Hospitals are the standard acute care venues in the United States, but hospital care is expensive and can pose health threats for older people. Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Presbyterian Healthcare Services adapted the Hospital at Home® model developed by the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine and Public Health to provide acute hospital-level care within patients' homes. Patients show comparable or better clinical outcomes compared with similar inpatients, and they show higher satisfaction levels. Available to Medicare Advantage and Medicaid patients with common acute care diagnoses, this program achieved savings of 19 percent over costs for similar inpatients. These savings were predominantly derived from lower average length-of-stay and use of fewer lab and diagnostic tests compared with similar patients in hospital acute care. Hospital at Home advances the Triple Aim of clinical quality, affordability, and exceptional patient experience.

How dangerous is a day in hospital? A model of adverse events and length of stay for medical inpatients

BACKGROUND

Despite extensive research into adverse events, there is no quantitative estimate for the risk of experiencing adverse events per day spent in hospital. This is important information for hospital managers, because they may consider discharging patients earlier to alternative care providers if this is associated with lower risk, but other costs and benefits are similar.

METHODS

We model adverse events as a function of patient risk factors, hospital fixed effects, and length of stay. Potential endogeneity of length of stay is addressed with instrumental variable methods, using days and months of discharge as instruments. We use administrative hospital episode data for 206,489 medical inpatients in all public hospitals in the state of Victoria, Australia, for the year 2005/2006.

RESULTS

A hospital stay carries a 5.5% risk of an adverse drug reaction, 17.6% risk of infection, and 3.1% risk of ulcer for an average episode, and each additional night in hospital increases the risk by 0.5% for adverse drug reactions, 1.6% for infections, and 0.5% for ulcers. Length of stay is endogenous in models of adverse events, and risks would be underestimated if length of stay was treated as exogenous.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our research contribute to assessing the benefits and costs of hospital stays-and their alternatives-in a quantitative manner. Instead of discharging patients early to alternative care, it would be more desirable to address underlying causes of adverse events. However, this may prove costly, difficult, or impossible, at least in the short run. In such situations, our research supports hospital managers in making informed treatment and discharge decisions.

The 500-bed hospital that isn't there: the Victorian Department of Health review of the Hospital in the Home program

The Victorian Department of Health reviewed its Hospital in the Home (HIH) program in 2009, for the first time in a decade. Annual reimbursements to all Victorian hospitals for HIH care had reached $110 million. Nearly all Victorian hospitals have an HIH program. Collectively, these units recorded 32,462 inpatient admissions in 2008-09, representing 2.5% of all inpatient admissions, 5.3% of multiday admissions and 5% of all bed-days in Victoria. If HIH were a single entity, it would be a 500-bed hospital. Treatment of many patients with acute community- and hospital-acquired infections or venous thromboembolism has moved into HIH. There is still capacity for growth in clinical conditions that can be appropriately managed at home. The review found evidence of gaming by hospitals through deliberate blurring of boundaries between acute HIH care and postacute care. The Victorian HIH program is a remarkable success that has significantly expanded the overall capacity of the hospital system, with lower capital resources. It suggests HIH with access to equivalent hospital remuneration is necessary for a successful HIH policy. Hospitals should invest in HIH medical leadership and supervision to expand their HIH services, including teaching. HIH is a challenge to the traditional vision of a hospital. Greater community awareness of HIH could assist in its continued growth.