Inpatient-level care at home delivered by virtual wards and hospital at home: a systematic review and meta-analysis of complex interventions and their components.

BACKGROUND: Technology-enabled inpatient-level care at home services, such as virtual wards and hospital at home, are being rapidly implemented. This is the first systematic review to link the components of these service delivery innovations to evidence of effectiveness to explore implications for practice and research. METHODS: For this review (registered here https://osf.io/je39y ), we searched Cochrane-recommended multiple databases up to 30 November 2022 and additional resources for randomised and non-randomised studies that compared technology-enabled inpatient-level care at home with hospital-based inpatient care. We classified interventions into care model groups using three key components: clinical activities, workforce, and technology. We synthesised evidence by these groups quantitatively or narratively for mortality, hospital readmissions, cost-effectiveness and length of stay. RESULTS: We include 69 studies: 38 randomised studies (6413 participants; largely judged as low or unclear risk of bias) and 31 non-randomised studies (31,950 participants; largely judged at serious or critical risk of bias). The 69 studies described 63 interventions which formed eight model groups. Most models, regardless of using low- or high-intensity technology, may have similar or reduced hospital readmission risk compared with hospital-based inpatient care (low-certainty evidence from randomised trials). For mortality, most models had uncertain or unavailable evidence. Two exceptions were low technology-enabled models that involve hospital- and community-based professionals, they may have similar mortality risk compared with hospital-based inpatient care (low- or moderate-certainty evidence from randomised trials). Cost-effectiveness evidence is unavailable for high technology-enabled models, but sparse evidence suggests the low technology-enabled multidisciplinary care delivered by hospital-based teams appears more cost-effective than hospital-based care for those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. CONCLUSIONS: Low-certainty evidence suggests that none of technology-enabled care at home models we explored put people at higher risk of readmission compared with hospital-based care. Where limited evidence on mortality is available, there appears to be no additional risk of mortality due to use of technology-enabled at home models. It is unclear whether inpatient-level care at home using higher levels of technology confers additional benefits. Further research should focus on clearly defined interventions in high-priority populations and include comparative cost-effectiveness evaluation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://osf.io/je39y .

Early discharge hospital at home as alternative to routine hospital care for older people: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The global population of adults aged 60 and above surpassed 1 billion in 2020, constituting 13.5% of the global populace. Projections indicate a rise to 2.1 billion by 2050. While Hospital-at-Home (HaH) programs have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional routine hospital care, showing initial benefits in metrics such as lower mortality rates, reduced readmission rates, shorter treatment durations, and improved mental and functional status among older individuals, the robustness and magnitude of these effects relative to conventional hospital settings call for further validation through a comprehensive meta-analysis. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was executed during April-June 2023, across PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) to include both RCT and non-RCT HaH studies. Statistical analyses were conducted using Review Manager (version 5.4), with Forest plots and I2 statistics employed to detect inter-study heterogeneity. For I2 > 50%, indicative of substantial heterogeneity among the included studies, we employed the random-effects model to account for the variability. For I2 ≤ 50%, we used the fixed effects model. Subgroup analyses were conducted in patients with different health conditions, including cancer, acute medical conditions, chronic medical conditions, orthopedic issues, and medically complex conditions. RESULTS: Fifteen trials were included in this systematic review, including 7 RCTs and 8 non-RCTs. Outcome measures include mortality, readmission rates, treatment duration, functional status (measured by the Barthel index), and mental status (measured by MMSE). Results suggest that early discharge HaH is linked to decreased mortality, albeit supported by low-certainty evidence across 13 studies. It also shortens the length of treatment, corroborated by seven trials. However, its impact on readmission rates and mental status remains inconclusive, supported by nine and two trials respectively. Functional status, gauged by the Barthel index, indicated potential decline with early discharge HaH, according to four trials. Subgroup analyses reveal similar trends. CONCLUSIONS: While early discharge HaH shows promise in specific metrics like mortality and treatment duration, its utility is ambiguous in the contexts of readmission, mental status, and functional status, necessitating cautious interpretation of findings.

Assessment of non-inferiority in terms of six-month morbidity and mortality of a hospital-at-home care pathway for patients with acute heart failure: FIL-EAS-ic study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a common cause of hospitalization and is associated with high mortality rates, long hospital stays and high economic costs worldwide. Novel care pathways are increasingly considered to address these burdens. In France, a mixed conventional hospitalization and hospital-at-home (HaH) care pathway (named FIL-EAS-ic) has been designed to reduce hospital length of stay without impairing HF outcomes. This protocol describes the study design evaluating the non-inferiority of the FIL-EAS-ic pathway compared to conventional hospitalization in terms of six-month all-cause mortality and/or unscheduled HF-related hospitalization. METHODS AND RESULTS: A randomized, prospective, multicenter trial (NCT04878263) will be conducted involving two groups of patients in a 1:2 ratio: i) a control group following the conventional hospitalization pathway, and ii) the experimental group following the FIL-EAS-ic pathway. We aim to include 454 patients from the Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer and the Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Sainte-Anne in France from June 2021 to June 2023. The non-inferiority of the FIL-EAS-ic pathway compared to conventional hospitalization, in terms of six-month all-cause mortality and/or unscheduled HF-related hospitalization will be tested by the Farrington-Manning method. Impact on treatment adherence, HF rehospitalizations and cumulative time spent in the hospital will also be compared between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This clinical trial will provide evidence on a novel HF care pathway in France as well as its potential to improve follow-up care, quality of life and patient satisfaction as well as its potential to reduce costs.

How Social Connectedness Helps Patients Stay Home After Hospital at Home Enrollment: A Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: While enrolled in Hospital at Home (HaH) programs, patients rely on their social network to provide supportive behaviors that are routinely provided by hospital staff in the inpatient setting. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated how social connectedness is associated with patient outcomes in a HaH program. DESIGN: The explanatory iterative sequential mixed methods design included an electronic health record review to collect quantitative measures to describe the severity of patient illness and healthcare utilization and then qualitative interviews to explain quantitative findings. PARTICIPANTS: The quantitative phase included 100 patients (18 years or older) admitted to the hospital who were subsequently enrolled in the HaH program. In the qualitative phase, 33 of the 100 patients participated in semi-structured interviews. ANALYSIS: Qualitative data was analyzed using the Sort & Sift, Think & Shift method. Integrated analysis included merged data displays of healthcare utilization data and patient descriptions of their care and genogram-type illustrations to enable variable-oriented analysis of structural support. We then examined patient narratives by two variables: life course and care elevation, to understand differences in the trajectories of six subsets of patients as identified by the quantitative data. KEY RESULTS: Three factors prompted patients to enroll in HaH: low attention from hospital staff during hospital stay; loneliness and isolation during hospital stay; and family encouragement to enroll. After discharge, social support within the home structure facilitated recovery during HaH. Conversely, HaH patients with limited support within the home were more likely to be readmitted. CONCLUSIONS: Structural social connectedness facilitates patient recovery in HaH. Before enrolling patients in HaH, clinicians should take an in-depth social history, including questions about social/familial roles, household responsibilities, and technology acceptance. Clinicians should engage formal and informal caregivers in these conversations early and communicate a clear picture of what caregivers should do to support the patient through recovery.

Outcomes from an Early Adopters Home Hospital Accelerator for Acute Care at Home.

BACKGROUND: Following the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' approval of the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver, an increasing number of health care organizations launched Home Hospital (HH) programs in the USA. Ongoing barriers include access to HH expertise and a standard, comprehensive set of implementation tools. We created the HH Early Adopters Accelerator to bring together a network of health care organizations to develop tools ("knowledge products") necessary for HH implementation. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the feasibility of the Accelerator approach for generating and implementing relevant, high-quality knowledge products. DESIGN: Mixed methods evaluation of the Accelerator. Surveys and qualitative interviews of Accelerator participants were conducted. Surveys elicited feedback on the knowledge products, including time spent on development, perceived utility and quality, and implementation success. The qualitative interviews gathered more in-depth information on topics covered in the surveys. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen healthcare organizations and 105 individuals participated in the Accelerator. KEY RESULTS: The Accelerator reached its goal and developed 20 knowledge products in 32 working weeks (more efficient than expected). Participants agreed that the knowledge products were useful (developers: 98.1%; stakeholders: 93.8%), of high quality (developers: 96.8%), and would improve patient care if implemented in their HH program (developers: 91.7%; stakeholders: 91.2%). Two thirds (66.7%) of the participating organizations who had implemented knowledge products at 3 months continued utilizing knowledge products in their HH program at 1 year. Agreement that knowledge products improve patient care persisted (92% strongly agreed or agreed) at 1 year. Several programs created new tools, policies, and workflows as a result of implementing the knowledge products. CONCLUSIONS: The Accelerator created high-quality, comprehensive knowledge products that healthcare organizations found useful for safe HH implementation 1 year later. The Accelerator approach can feasibly help healthcare organizations safely bridge the gap between innovation and standard practice.

Effectiveness of a Multifaceted Implementation Strategy to Increase Equitable Hospital at Home Utilization: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The number of Hospital-at-Home (HaH) programs rapidly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and after issuance of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Acute Hospital Care at Home (AHCaH) waiver. However, there remains little evidence on effective strategies to equitably expand HaH utilization. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effects of a multifaceted implementation strategy on HaH utilization over time. DESIGN: Before and after implementation evaluation using electronic health record (EHR) data and interrupted time series analysis, complemented by qualitative interviews with key stakeholders. PARTICIPANTS: Between December 2021 and December 2022, we identified adults hospitalized at six hospitals in North Carolina approved by CMS to participate in the AHCaH waiver program. Eligible adults met criteria for HaH transfer (HaH-eligible clinical condition, qualifying home environment). We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 HaH patients and 10 referring clinicians. INTERVENTIONS: Two strategies were studied. The discrete implementation strategy (weeks 1-12) included clinician-directed educational outreach. The multifaceted implementation strategy (weeks 13-54) included ongoing clinician-directed educational outreach, local HaH assistance via nurse navigators, involvement of clinical service line executives, and individualized audit and feedback. MEASURES: We assessed weekly averaged HaH capacity utilization, weekly counts of unique referring providers, and patient characteristics. We analyzed themes from qualitative data to determine barriers and facilitators to HaH use. RESULTS: Our evaluation showed week-to-week increases in HaH capacity utilization during the multifaceted implementation strategy period, compared to discrete-period trends (slope-change odds ratio-1.02, 1.01-1.04). Counts of referring providers also increased week to week, compared to discrete-period trends (slope-change means ratio-1.05, 1.03-1.07). The increase in HaH utilization was largest among rural residents (11 to 34%). Barriers included HaH-related information gaps and referral challenges; facilitators included patient-centeredness of HaH care. CONCLUSIONS: A multifaceted implementation strategy was associated with increased HaH capacity utilization, provider adoption, and patient diversity. Health systems may consider similar, contextually relevant multicomponent approaches to equitably expand HaH.

The value of admission avoidance: cost-consequence analysis of one-year activity in a consolidated service.

BACKGROUND: Many advantages of hospital at home (HaH), as a modality of acute care, have been highlighted, but controversies exist regarding the cost-benefit trade-offs. The objective is to assess health outcomes and analytical costs of hospital avoidance (HaH-HA) in a consolidated service with over ten years of delivery of HaH in Barcelona (Spain). METHODS: A retrospective cost-consequence analysis of all first episodes of HaH-HA, directly admitted from the emergency room (ER) in 2017-2018, was carried out with a health system perspective. HaH-HA was compared with a propensity-score-matched group of contemporary patients admitted to conventional hospitalization (Controls). Mortality, re-admissions, ER visits, and direct healthcare costs were evaluated. RESULTS: HaH-HA and Controls (n = 441 each) were comparable in terms of age (73 [SD16] vs. 74 [SD16]), gender (male, 57% vs. 59%), multimorbidity, healthcare expenditure during the previous year, case mix index of the acute episode, and main diagnosis at discharge. HaH-HA presented lower mortality during the episode (0 vs. 19 (4.3%); p < 0.001). At 30 days post-discharge, HaH-HA and Controls showed similar re-admission rates; however, ER visits were lower in HaH-HA than in Controls (28 (6.3%) vs. 34 (8.1%); p = 0.044). Average costs per patient during the episode were lower in the HaH-HA group (€ 1,078) than in Controls (€ 2,171). Likewise, healthcare costs within the 30 days post-discharge were also lower in HaH-Ha than in Controls (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed higher performance and cost reductions of HaH-HA in a real-world setting. The identification of sources of savings facilitates scaling of hospital avoidance. REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (26/04/2017; NCT03130283).

Hospital-Level Care at Home for Patients with Cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cirrhosis have a 30-day readmission rate of over 30%. Novel care delivery models are needed to reduce healthcare costs and utilization associated with cirrhosis care. One such model is Home Hospital (HH), which provides inpatient-level care at home. Limited evidence currently exists supporting HH for cirrhosis patients. AIMS: The aims of this study were to characterize patients with cirrhosis who received hospital-level care at home in a two-site clinical trial and to describe the care they received. Secondary aims included describing their outcomes, including adverse events, readmissions and mortality. METHODS: We identified all patients with cirrhosis who enrolled in HH as part of a two-site clinical trial between 2017 and 2022. HH services include daily clinician visits, intravenous and oral medications, continuous vital sign monitoring, and telehealth specialist consultation. We collected sociodemographic data and analyzed HH stays, including interventions, outcomes, adverse events, and follow-up. RESULTS: 22 patients with cirrhosis (45% Hispanic; 50% limited English proficiency, median MELD-Na 12) enrolled in HH during the study period. Interventions included lab chemistries (82%), intravenous medications (77%), specialist consultation (23%), and advanced diagnostics/procedures (23%). The median length of stay was 7 days (IQR 4-12); 186 bed-days were saved. Two patients (9%) experienced adverse events (AKI). No patients required escalation of care; 9% were readmitted within 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: In this two-site study, HH was feasible for patients with cirrhosis, holding promise as a hepatology delivery model. Future randomized trials are needed to further evaluate the efficacy of HH for patients with cirrhosis.

Expectations related to home-based telemonitoring of high-risk pregnancies: A qualitative study addressing healthcare providers' and users' views in Norway.

INTRODUCTION: A pregnancy can be evaluated as high-risk for the woman and/or the fetus based on medical history and on previous or ongoing pregnancy characteristics. Monitoring high-risk pregnancies is crucial for early detection of alarming features, enabling timely intervention to ensure optimal maternal and fetal health outcomes. Home-based telemonitoring (HBTM) is a marginally exploited opportunity in antenatal care. The aim of this study was to illuminate healthcare providers' and users' expectations and views about HBTM of maternal and fetal health in high-risk pregnancies before implementation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To address diverse perspectives regarding HBTM of high-risk pregnancies, four different groups of experienced healthcare providers or users were interviewed (n = 21). Focus group interviews were conducted separately with midwives, obstetricians, and women who had previously experienced stillbirth. Six individual interviews were conducted with hospitalized women with ongoing high-risk pregnancies, representing potential candidates for HBTM. None of the participants had any previous experience with HBTM of pregnancies. The study is embedded in a social constructivist research paradigm. Interviews were analyzed using a thematic approach. RESULTS: The participants acknowledged the benefits and potentials of more active roles for both care recipients and providers in HBTM. Concerns were clearly addressed and articulated in the following themes: eligibility and ability of women, availability of midwives and obstetricians, empowerment and patient safety, and shared responsibility. All groups problematized issues crucial to maintaining a sense of safety for care recipients, and healthcare providers also addressed issues related to maintaining a sense of safety also for the care providers. Conditions for HBTM were understood in terms of optimal personalized training, individual assessment of eligibility, and empowerment of an active patient role. These conditions were linked to the importance of competent and experienced midwives and obstetricians operating the monitoring, as well as the availability and continuity of care provision. Maintenance of safety in HBTM in high-risk pregnancies was crucial, particularly so in situations involving emerging acute health issues. CONCLUSIONS: HBTM requires new, proactive roles among midwives, obstetricians, and monitored women, introducing a fine-tuned balance between personalized and standardized care to provide safe, optimal monitoring of high-risk pregnancies.

Optimizing care pathways: A study of the urgent dispatch program and its impact on emergency department visits.

INTRODUCTION: The use of acute hospital-level care at home (hospital-at-home) for patients who are chronically ill has led to decreased medical costs, amount of sedentary time, and hospital admissions. Our large integrated healthcare system identified the need to develop a mechanism through which to decrease emergency department (ED) visits in this patient population by creating a home acute care program called Urgent Dispatch. The primary objective of this study was to determine the medical condition for referral and seven and 30-day ED visit rates. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort of all patients referred to the Urgent Dispatch program from April 1, 2021, through February 28, 2022. We assessed encounters for patient demographics, referral source, reason for visit, number of at home visits, total number of days in the program, and determined if the patient had an ED encounter within seven and 30 days of participation in the program. The healthcare system includes 10 hospitals (academic, community and rural), 17 emergency departments (hospital-based and freestanding) and their associated outpatient clinics. RESULTS: A total of 2218 orders were placed with 1530 (70.8 %) resulting in enrollment in the Urgent Dispatch program. The majority were elderly (75 ± 15.6), white (70 %), female (64.4 %), and had Medicare as their primary insurance (82 %). The average number of visits made by Urgent Dispatch was 1.46 (SD ± 0.95). The average number of days enrolled in the program was 2.4 (SD ± 4.1). The top three referral sources to the program were outpatient primary care (42 %), home care (28 %) and emergency medicine (20 %). The top body systems requiring a visit were cardiovascular (22 %), general (18 %), and respiratory (17.2 %). Of the 1530 urgent dispatch referrals, 19.8 % (n = 303) had an ED visit within seven days, 12 % (n = 183) had an ED visit within eight to 30 days, and 68.2 % (n = 1044) had no ED visit. CONCLUSION: A home-based care model of healthcare delivery for patients with chronic medical conditions can provide effective care, with 80.2 % of patients avoiding an ED visit within seven days and 68.2 % avoiding an ED visit within 30 days.

Five years of Hospital at Home adoption in Catalonia: impact, challenges, and proposals for quality assurance.

BACKGROUND: Hospital at home (HaH) was increasingly implemented in Catalonia (7.7 M citizens, Spain) achieving regional adoption within the 2011-2015 Health Plan. This study aimed to assess population-wide HaH outcomes over five years (2015-2019) in a consolidated regional program and provide context-independent recommendations for continuous quality improvement of the service. METHODS: A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining population-based retrospective analyses of registry information with qualitative research. HaH (admission avoidance modality) was compared with a conventional hospitalization group using propensity score matching techniques. We evaluated the 12-month period before the admission, the hospitalization, and use of healthcare resources at 30 days after discharge. A panel of experts discussed the results and provided recommendations for monitoring HaH services. RESULTS: The adoption of HaH steadily increased from 5,185 episodes/year in 2015 to 8,086 episodes/year in 2019 (total episodes 31,901; mean age 73 (SD 17) years; 79% high-risk patients. Mortality rates were similar between HaH and conventional hospitalization within the episode [76 (0.31%) vs. 112 (0.45%)] and at 30-days after discharge [973(3.94%) vs. 1112(3.24%)]. Likewise, the rates of hospital re-admissions at 30 days after discharge were also similar between groups: 2,00 (8.08%) vs. 1,63 (6.58%)] or ER visits [4,11 (16.62%) vs. 3,97 (16.03%). The 27 hospitals assessed showed high variability in patients' age, multimorbidity, severity of episodes, recurrences, and length of stay of HaH episodes. Recommendations aiming at enhancing service delivery were produced. CONCLUSIONS: Besides confirming safety and value generation of HaH for selected patients, we found that this service is delivered in a case-mix of different scenarios, encouraging hospital-profiled monitoring of the service.

An integrated understanding of the impact of hospital at home: a mixed-methods study to articulate and test a programme theory.

BACKGROUND: Hospital at Home (HaH) provides intensive, hospital-level care in patients' homes for acute conditions that would normally require hospitalisation, using multidisciplinary teams. As a programme of complex medical-social interventions, a HaH programme theory has not been fully articulated although implicit in the structures, functions, and activities of the existing HaH services. We aimed to unearth the tacit theory from international evidence and test the soundness of it by studying UK HaH services. METHODS: We conducted a literature review (29 articles) adopting a 'realist review' approach (theory articulation) and examined 11 UK-based services by interviewing up to 3 staff members from each service (theory testing). The review and interview data were analysed using Framework Analysis and Purposive Text Analysis. RESULTS: The programme theory has three components- the organisational, utilisation and impact theories. The impact theory consists of key assumptions about the change processes brought about by HaH's activities and functions, as detailed in the organisational and utilisation theories. HaH teams should encompass multiple disciplines to deliver comprehensive assessments and have skill sets for physically delivering hospital-level processes of care in the home. They should aim to treat a broad range of conditions in patients who are clinically complex and felt to be vulnerable to hospital acquired harms. Services should cover 7 days a week, have plans for 24/7 response and deliver relational continuity of care through consistent staffing. As a result, patients' and carers' knowledge, skills, and confidence in disease management and self-care should be strengthened with a sense of safety during HaH treatment, and carers better supported to fulfil their role with minimal added care burden. CONCLUSIONS: There are organisational factors for HaH services and healthcare processes that contribute to better experience of care and outcomes for patients. HaH services should deliver care using hospital level processes through teams that have a focus on holistic and individually tailored care with continuity of therapeutic relationships between professionals and patients and carers resulting in less complexity and fragmentation of care. This analysis informs how HaH services can organise resources and design processes of care to optimise patient satisfaction and outcomes.

Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of residents towards Hospital-at-Home (HaH) and its role in residency training.

BACKGROUND: With the proliferation of Hospital at Home (HaH) programmes globally, there is a need to equip junior doctors with the skills necessary for provision of HaH care. The ideal training structure and clinical requirements for junior doctors to be considered competent in providing HaH care is still poorly understood. This study examines the perceptions of junior doctors towards HaH, and aims to determine the learning needs that might be helpful for future curriculum planning. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of residents at the National University Health System (NUHS) Singapore. Using a 45-item questionnaire, we explored the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of residents towards HaH, and their interest in participating in HaH as part of residency training. RESULTS: One hundred six residents responded. Overall knowledge and attitudes were mostly average. Perceptions were neutral but comparatively lower in the domains of safety, efficiency and equity. 69% of residents showed a positive attitude and interest to participate in HaH as part of residency rotations. 80% of respondents were keen to have a 2-4 week rotation incorporated into routine training. Demographic factors that influenced higher scores in various domains included type of residency programme and years of work experience. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that residents are interested in participating in HaH. Incorporation of HaH rotations in residency training will allow juniors doctors to receive greater exposure and training in the skills specific to provision of HaH care. Further studies on the introduction of a HaH curriculum and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) specific for HaH in residency training may be useful to to ensure that we have a competent HaH workforce that can support and keep up with the growth of HaH globally.

Home-based advanced care is a solution to quality health care in rural Taiwan: Lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The integrated home-based medical care (iHBMC) program has been implemented by the Taiwanese government since 2016. The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) accelerated the shift from hospital-based to community-based healthcare, with a special focus on advanced home care for frail older adults. This study focuses on home-based advanced care, such as hospital at home (HaH), aiming to explore the feasibility and resilience of HaH within a home-based medical care model in a rural community in Taiwan. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of medical records from February 2020 to August 2022. Two clinical professionals reviewed and abstracted data from the electronic medical records of 189 patients receiving home healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. The HaH event was calculated if patients had any acute infection and received treatment at home. RESULTS: A total of 62 HaH events occurred during 2020-2022 and the average HaH events per person was 1.4. In these events, the top reason for patients receiving HaH was pneumonia, followed by urinary tract infection, soft tissue infection, and sepsis. 77.4% of patients completed the HaH treatment and did not experience any recurrent acute infections in the 30-day follow-up. CONCLUSION: Different forms of home healthcare enhance the resilience of medical care provision in rural areas. As Taiwan approaches a hyper-aged society by 2025, it is crucial that National Health Insurance policies support various home-based care models that address transportation issues and maintain high care standards in underserved rural areas.

Continuous Temperature Telemonitoring of Patients with COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases Treated in Hospital-at-Home: Viture® System Validation.

Body temperature must be monitored in patients receiving Hospital-at-Home (HaH) care for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Continuous temperature telemonitoring (CTT) detects fever and patient deterioration early, facilitating decision-making. We performed a validation clinical study assessing the safety, comfort, and impact on healthcare practice of Viture®, a CTT system, compared with a standard digital axillary thermometer in 208 patients with COVID-19 and other infectious diseases treated in HaH at the Navarra University Hospital (HUN). Overall, 3258 pairs of measurements showed a clinical bias of -0.02 °C with limits of agreement of -0.96/+0.92 °C, a 95% acceptance rate, and a mean absolute deviation of 0.36 (SD 0.30) °C. Viture® detected 3 times more febrile episodes and revealed fever in 50% more patients compared with spot measurements. Febrile episodes were detected 7.23 h (mean) earlier and modified the diagnostic and/or therapeutic approach in 43.2% of patients. Viture® was validated for use in a clinical setting and was more effective in detecting febrile episodes than conventional methods.

Patients' and caregivers' perceptions of the quality of hospital-at-home service: A scoping review.

AIM: This scoping review aims to provide an overview of patients and caregivers perceptions of hospital-at-home (HaH) services. BACKGROUND: HaH services provide patients with hospital-level care at home and are central to integrated healthcare systems. Despite favourable data from individual studies in the literature, in-depth analysis from patient and caregivers perspectives is lacking. This understanding is essential for the dissemination and scaling of HaH services. DESIGN: The scoping review was performed using the PRISMA-ScR checklist and PAGER framework for the findings report and research recommendations. METHOD: Literature from PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid, CINAHL, Cochrane and Mednar databases were searched. Relevant studies published between 1st January 2005 and 31st December 2022 were identified. The conceptual model of the development of patient perceptions of quality was used for data extraction and tabulation. RESULTS: The review included 24 articles. Expectation attributions were identified as needs, types of service, hospitalisation experiences, family care preferences, social-demographics and coping skills. From patient's and caregiver's perspectives, HaH was safe, effective and viewed positively. Perceived concerns/barriers and enablers/facilitators were associated with individual, caregiver and system factors, but demonstrated an overall satisfaction in the HaH service. CONCLUSION: HaH provides an excellent service according to patients' and caregivers' perceptions. However, gaps in care were identified such as prioritising patient-centred care, along with improved multidisciplinary continuity of care and future studies should incorporate these into their research of HaH. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Patients' and caregivers' HaH needs should be embedded in the design, development and implementation of HaH services. PATIENT AND PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Not applicable for the study design of this scoping review.

Overcoming barriers to implementation: mapping implementation strategies in four hospital in home programs within the Veterans Health Administration.

The Hospital at Home model, called Hospital-in-Home (HIH) in the Department of Veterans Affairs, delivers coordinated, high-value care aligned with older adult and caregiver preferences. Documenting implementation barriers and corresponding strategies to overcome them can address challenges to widespread adoption. To evaluate HIH implementation barriers and identify strategies to address them, we conducted interviews with 8 HIH staff at 4 hospitals between 2010 and 2013. We utilized qualitative directed content analysis guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and mapped identified barriers to possible strategies using the CFIR-Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) Matching Tool. We identified 11 barriers spanning 5 CFIR domains. Three implementation strategies - identifying and preparing champions, conducting educational meetings, and capturing and sharing local knowledge - achieved high expert endorsement for each barrier. A mix of strategies targeting resources, organizational readiness and fit, and leadership engagement should be considered to support the sustainability and spread of HIH.

NC Medicaid's Early Experience with a Hospital at Home Program During the Public Health Emergency.

A quarter of a million North Carolinians admit to experienc¬ing opioid use disorder; over 1,000 die each year. Only 1 in 5 receives effective, evidence-based treatment. Medicaid covers treatment and will increase access for members with opioid use disorder, who have been found to fare better than those with private insurance.

Home care models dedicated to COVID-19 patients: the experience of a Local Health District of Veneto Region (Italy).

Background: During COVID-19 pandemic, health professionals have been working in an extreme uncertainty context. Affected patients needed to be cared at home as long as possible to avoid virus spreading and hospital resources saturation. The Veneto Regional Administration (North-east of Italy) released Regional guidelines about it. The Western Healthcare District of the Local Health Authority of the city of Vicenza (180,000 inhabitants) implemented a healthcare pathway following them. Aim of the study is to describe the results and outcomes of such implementation. Methods: In the implemented health care pathway, a new service called "Special Unit of continuity of care" (USCA) with physicians and nurses has been dedicated to the prise en charge at home of patients suffering from Sars-CoV-2. They were referred to the USCA by general practitioners or by hospital specialists, and managed through a daily clinical monitoring by regular home visits and phone calls, specialist consultations and therapy management. In order to prevent hospital admission, an oxygen concentrator when possible has been employed and managed at home by the members of the USCA when the oxygen saturation was below 93%. An observational retrospective study has been conducted using anonymized data from different databases: the USCA activity database (from 12/01/20 to 21/31/21), the hospital and Emergency Department discharge databases, and the "healthcare co-payments exemptions database". The latter database refers to the people excluded - because of their chronicity - from the co-payment of a list of medical exams and services. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses have been implemented. Results: 1,419 patients suffering from Sars-CoV-2 have been cared and managed by the USCA in the considered period of time (mean 11.4 days), of whom 787 (55.5%) with at least one chronic condition (described in the above quoted "healthcare co-payments exemption database") and 261 provided with oxygen concentrator. 275 (19.4%) needed a hospital admission, 39 (2.8%) in intensive unit; 53 died during hospitalization (3.8%). Out of the 261 patients utilizing oxygen concentrator, 103 have been admitted to hospital (39.5%), 7.3% in intensive unit and 8.0% died. In implemented multivariate analyses, the use of oxygen concentrator, proxy measure of the severity of the condition, is the major determinant for the risk of hospital admission (adj OR: 3.2, CI 2.3-4.3) and of dying within 30 days (adj OR: 2.8 CI 1.5-5.1). Among the 261 patients provided with oxygen concentrator, 158 (60,5%) have been managed at home without any admission to emergency department and/or hospitalization. Conclusions: In an uncertain context such as COVID-19 pandemic, the already-implemented home care model has been modified by integrating the USCA physicians and nurses and specialist care networks to prevent hospitalization and the sense of isolation and abandonment of people as much as possible. Almost 1,500 patients suffering from COVID-19 have been cared for at home over 13 months by such new service with complex and multidisciplinary activities. The risk of hospitalization and death appears determined by the severity of the pathology with high and significant OR 60% of patients with oxygen concentrators who, despite an initial high hyposaturation were not hospitalized, represent, partly, the group of patients who would have been requiring hospital care in the absence of a home care pathway in a standard situation.

Experiences of Patients and Their Caregivers Admitted to a Hospital-at-Home Program in Singapore: a Descriptive Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Hospital at Home (HaH) programs have been shown to improve clinical outcomes, quality of care, and patient satisfaction. However, how Asian patients experience HaH remained underexplored. OBJECTIVE: To explore the perceptions and experiences of patients and caregivers admitted to a hospital-at-home program in Singapore. DESIGN: Descriptive qualitative study design. PARTICIPANTS: Purposive sampling was used to conduct 36 interviews with 13 patients, nine Legally Acceptable Representatives (LARs), and 14 caregivers until data saturation was achieved. INTERVENTIONS: NUHS@Home is a HaH program providing care through a multi-disciplinary team, enabled by remote vital signs monitoring through a tablet and wireless blood pressure and oxygen meters. APPROACH: This study used in-depth semi-structured individual interviews. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed using Braun and Clark's six-step inductive approach. KEY RESULTS: The overarching theme identified was "Enablers, difficulties, and improvements to the HaH experiences" which was supported by three key themes: (1) Perceived better care at home, (2) Importance of social support, and (3) Organizational structures required to support HaH. Participants described overall HaH experiences around factors contributing to their impeding engagement, overall satisfaction, and quality of care. CONCLUSIONS: Although HaH is unfamiliar to the Singapore population, most of the participants in this study had an overall positive experience. The key challenges found in this paper were the stress and inconvenience caused to caregivers. The enablers for positive HaH experiences were (1) consideration of patient's family members as key participants in the patients' therapeutic alliance; (2) the HaH care team must be accessible, approachable, and reassuring, and communicate frequently and timely with patients and their families; and (3) financing strategies to ensure HaH out-of-pockets costs remain affordable which are critical to keeping HaH as an option for patients and families.