The Technological Pillars Supporting the Hospital-at-Home Revolution

In response to the shifting landscape of healthcare, driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital-at-home programs have gained immense popularity. These innovative models allow patients to receive care outside the traditional hospital setting, improving access and reducing costs. In the article "Health Technologies Driving Hospital-at-Home Programs," the authors explore the key technologies underpinning the hospital-at-home model.

Patient & Family Engagement Technology
Engagement technologies play a crucial role in connecting clinicians, patients, and family caregivers in hospital-at-home programs. These platforms offer both synchronous and asynchronous modalities, including real-time messaging, education delivery, and video conferencing. Most healthcare organizations leverage engagement platforms to augment in-person care. For example, the University of Chicago Medicine's hospital-at-home program includes daily telehealth visits with physicians, in-person nurse visits, and virtual communication. This approach has significantly reduced emergency department visits and unplanned hospitalizations, showcasing the efficacy of engagement technologies in at-home care.

Remote Patient Monitoring Devices
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is at the heart of hospital-at-home programs. RPM tools enable continuous or intermittent data collection and transmission to healthcare teams. RPM devices provide valuable insights into patients' conditions, enabling timely interventions to enhance patient safety and expand eligibility for home hospital programs by creating a "digital health safety net."

Analytics Solutions
The success of hospital-at-home programs relies on effective data analytics. Clinical risk prediction models, leveraging retrospective data and predictive AI-driven engines, aid in preempting clinical deterioration and identifying suitable candidates for home hospital services. Machine learning further enhances these operations by learning patients' baseline biometrics, detecting deviations, and alerting care teams to potential adverse events. These platforms often offer analytics capabilities to monitor care quality, utilization, and cost, streamlining decision-making.

Conclusion
The hospital-at-home model has emerged as a transformative approach to healthcare, and its continued success depends on robust technological support. Patient and family engagement platforms, RPM devices, and robust analytics are the pillars that empower this model. As healthcare providers increasingly shift their focus from traditional hospital care to in-home services, these technologies will continue to evolve and play a crucial role in delivering high-quality, cost-effective care to patients in the comfort of their homes. The hospital-at-home revolution is well underway, with technology as its driving force.

Reference:

• https://mhealthintelligence.com/features/health-technologies-driving-hospital-at-home-programs