Hospital at home is a program operated by a hospital or health system that provides acute-level care for a patient in their home instead of a hospital setting. While there are different models for these programs, most provide patients with some type of monitoring technology such as a wireless blood pressure cuff and pulse oximeter, as well as a tablet, phone or secure mobile application through which the patient can check in at least once a day with their care team to assess progress. Some programs also send nurses, paramedics or other allied health professionals to the home for periodic visits.
Deeper Dive
These programs originated in countries with universal health care such as in Europe, Australia and Canada but began in the U.S. in the mid-1990s. Their popularity increased during the peak COVID-19 pandemic, when in 2020 the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated a waiver-based program allowing several hundred hospitals to be reimbursed for hospital at-home care to free up hospital beds and try to prevent the spread of the virus. As of November 2024, some 378 hospitals in 39 states have been approved to provide hospital-at-home services to patients.
Programs have been expanding beyond the initial populations of people with chronic conditions or recovering from surgery or infections to include pediatric patients, those needing physical rehabilitation, people recovering from cesarean births, and more. They have been popular with patients, who enjoy being in familiar surroundings with their families and pets.
Still, not everyone is a fan. Some worry about the added burden on caregivers or less attention from nurses.