Kent Hospital at Home: Do I qualify and what are the benefits?

Kent Hospital offers a unique program called Hospital at Home (HaH). This program provides patients with the opportunity to receive hospital-level care while in the comfort of their homes. Receiving treatment at home has increased recovery times for patients and helps prevent doctors and nurses from burnout by saving valuable time. 

Do I qualify for Kent Hospital at Home? 

Not all patients qualify for Kent Hospital at Home. According to HaH medical director, Dr. Michael Lee, several factors go into determining if a patient is a good candidate for Hospital at Home.

1. Medical Condition: A patient's condition should be stable enough to be managed outside of a traditional hospital setting but still require hospital-level care. Essentially, patients who qualify are healthy enough to be monitored from home and do not need prolonged hospital care. Conditions that qualify for HaH include:

        1. Flare-ups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

        2. Congestive heart failure

        3. Certain types of infections

2. Technology: With Kent Hospital at Home, patients are monitored virtually. So, internet access is a must for telemedicine visits. Also, HaH patients wear a device that allows medical staff to monitor their vitals 24/7.   

3. Willingness: Kent Hospital at Home is not for everyone, so both the patient and the patient’s family/caretaker must be willing to participate in HaH. For this program to be successful, a patient must be comfortable with the idea of receiving care from home and not in a hospital setting. 

4. Safety: A patient’s home environment should be safe and conducive to receiving care. Some services may require specific equipment at home.

What type of care does Kent Hospital at Home offer? 

The HaH program focuses on providing patients with acute-level care in the comforts of a patient’s home. An essential aspect of the program is the level of constant and consistent communication providers have with their patients. 

A Kent Hospital at Home doctor visits patients daily, and a nurse comes twice a day. When medical staff isn’t there, patients are being monitored 24/7 and in real-time from a device worn by the patient.

Kent Hospital at Home patients also have access to a full range of treatments including:

• IV medications
• Oxygen 
• Diagnostic imaging
• Physical therapy
• Social work 
• Specialists’ consults 

What are the benefits of Kent Hospital at Home?

Allowing a patient to remain in their home during treatment has several benefits for not only the patient but also caregivers and medical staff.  

1. Kent Hospital at Home helps cut down on patients being infected with hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).  Some HAIs include MRSA, urinary tract infections, and sepsis.  
2. Patients heal better and faster when they are in the comfort of their own homes, eating their own food, and sleeping in their own beds.
3. Patients participating in a hospital-at-home program have a lower risk of emergency department visits, according to the American Academy of Home Care Medicine (AAHCM).
4. The AAHCM also finds HaH patients have fewer stays in skilled nursing facilities. 

Caregiver Benefits:

1. Kent Hospital at Home saves caregivers time and money by cutting down on the number of trips to the hospital and prolonged hospital stays.
2. When a HaH doctor or nurse is there, caregivers have their undivided attention to ask about their loved one’s prognosis and treatment plan. 
3. Caregivers also tend to spend more quality time when visiting a Hospital at Home patient, because they know when a medical staff member is visiting – cutting down on the time spent seeking out a doctor or nurse to ask questions.

1. Kent Hospital at Home helps with capacity issues. With a limited number of hospital beds, HaH helps to keep hospitalization numbers down, freeing up beds for patients in serious or critical condition.
2. Doctors and nurses can give their undivided attention to HaH patients. They aren’t being pulled into another room, unexpectedly – giving them more time to focus on their patient.
3. HaH also helps to prevent medical staff fatigue. Hospital at Home doctors and nurses know their schedule ahead of time – and don’t have to worry about quickly moving from one patient to another.  

How do I learn more about Kent Hospital at Home?

Speak with your healthcare provider to see if Kent Hospital at Home is right for you or your loved one. For more information right now, visit: https://www.kentri.org/services/kent-hospital-at-home