Hackensack Meridian Health Expands Hospital From Home Program

The CMS Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver, which allows hospitals to provide inpatient-level care in patients' homes, currently only extends through Sept. 30, but that isn’t stopping some health systems from expanding their programs. For example, New Jersey-based Hackensack Meridian Health is expanding its Hospital From Home program to two new sites. 

Hospital From Home care will now be offered to patients who qualify through Ocean University Medical Center in Brick, N.J., and Southern Ocean Medical Center in Stafford Township, N.J. The latest sites build on the network's existing program offered through Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, JFK University Medical Center in Edison, and Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. 

Hospital From Home launched in late April 2024 after a 2022 pilot at JFK University Medical Center and has cared for more than 1,000 patients. The network has plans to expand it to all hospitals across the health system. 

Hackensack Meridian’s program is enabled through a partnership with Medically Home, a DispatchHealth company.

"Hackensack Meridian Health continues to set a new standard for patient care in many ways, including through their commitment to hospital-at-home care," said Pippa Shulman, D.O., M.P.H., chief medical officer of DispatchHealth, in a statement. "Hospital care in the home creates an important new access point for patients while offering unique benefits for both patients and providers. Having visibility into care delivery in the home environment enhances clinical insight, supports stronger care coordination, and leads to better outcomes. We’re proud to support Hackensack Meridian Health as they grow this program and bring this model of care to more patients across their system.”

Through Hospital From Home, patients are monitored virtually through a clinically integrated, physician-led virtual command center, which operates 24 hours a day to ensure seamless patient care alongside in-person nurse visits. Services and treatments include IV antibiotics, infusions, medication management, laboratory services, physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapy and imaging in a patient’s home. Meals and nutritional consultations are also available.