In December 2020, UHS launched the UHS Hospital Care at Home Program, with the goal of giving COVID-19 patients a more comfortable recovery. Instead of being admitted to the hospital, where they’re usually confined to a bed or chair in their assigned room, patients can receive care from the comfort of their own home.
Kim Brady, system director of Care Management, notes how many of the patients who have participated in the program have needed some sort of physical rehabilitation, and being at home provides them with more mobility in a familiar environment. It also means fewer patients are placed in nursing home facilities.
Patients have also been able to learn more about and become more involved with their healthcare. “Being with their caregiver, which is typically a family member, they learn together how to treat the illness,” says Ms. Brady. “And I think it’s helped with ongoing education, so they understand their health better.”
After its launch, the program has also expanded beyond just COVID-19 cases. The UHS Hospital Care at Home Program is currently treating patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cellulitis, pneumonia and congestive heart failure, as well.
The program has been a success thus far, and 181 patients have participated. “I think patients are just happier at home,” says Ms. Brady. “We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback.”
