On June 6, New-Haven Conn.-based Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS) announced via a press release the launch of its Home Hospital program. The program aims to serve Medicare patients that meet certain clinical and social stability criteria who live within 25 miles of Yale New Haven and Bridgeport hospitals. YNHHS is partnering with the Boston, Mass.-based Medically Home to provide the program.
The release states that “The Home Hospital program will provide acute care to patients who would otherwise need to be in the hospital. Patients will be in the program for two to six days, on average, then transition back into the care of their primary care physician. Through a combination of in-person visits and telehealth technology, the program will bring a range of hospital services to the homes of patients with heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cellulitis, and other conditions.”
Further, “Each patient will receive a physician video visit once a day through a Wi-Fi-enabled tablet, in-person visits from a nurse twice a day, plus additional nurse home visits as needed. Other healthcare professionals will provide in-home infusion therapy; physical, occupational and speech therapy; phlebotomy; mobile diagnostic services such as X-rays and echocardiograms; behavioral health care; and nutrition services. Stat lab, imaging and IV services will be available for urgent situations.”
Nurses and physicians will monitor all of the patients and are available 24/7. Patients will also have a personal emergency response device.
“The number of home hospital programs has grown dramatically nationwide since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to launch its Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program,” the release adds. “That program was designed to give hospitals greater flexibility to care for patients in their homes, freeing up hospital beds for COVID-19 patients.”
The release also says that YNHHS’ hospitals, and others around the country, are facing capacity issues as the facilities are treating more and sicker patients who delayed care during the pandemic.
