A new model of care: bringing hospital care home
A new program launched at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) called Hospital at Home gives eligible patients the choice to receive hospital-level care in the comfort of their own homes, ultimately leading to better care and more patient satisfaction.
Every Hospital at Home patient is considered an admitted patient to hospital. Their admission status is the same as someone receiving care onsite at VGH. Just like in hospital, a nurse and physician are regularly checking in on patients in person and virtually, and a pharmacist provides all the medication. There are a few critical pieces of technology that also help to make the care program possible.
The Hospital at Home model has operated successfully in Australia and the United Kingdom for almost 20 years, as well as at Vancouver Island Health and Northern Health for the past three years to the satisfaction of patients and health providers.
“By being in their home, care teams get a deeper understanding of a patient’s environment, and are able to offer a holistic approach to health care that addresses the physical, emotional and social needs of the patient. They’re spending more time getting to really know their patients and the people closest to them, ultimately improving outcomes and patient satisfaction.” - Pam Papp, Operations Director for Internal Medicine at Vancouver Acute and Operations Director for Hospital at Home, Vancouver Acute