Baptist Hospital at Home brings hospital-level care into the comfort and convenience of home

Baptist Health now offers 24/7 hospital-level care to patients in the comfort and convenience of their homes. Baptist Hospital at Home, which combines advanced remote monitoring technology with daily virtual and in-person clinical visits, is currently offered to eligible patients seeking inpatient treatment at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, with plans to expand to Baptist Medical Center South as well as other adult hospitals within the health system.

What is Baptist Hospital at Home?

Research shows that when home recovery is clinically appropriate, many patients prefer it – and experience enhanced satisfaction, fewer readmissions and positive outcomes. Baptist Hospital at Home gives patients the option to heal where they feel most at ease – in their own space. While hospital-based care remains essential for patients who need it, Baptist Hospital at Home is expanding care options and ensuring patients receive the right level of care in the right setting.

The program brings clinical staff, equipment, technologies, medications and skills usually provided in hospitals into the homes of patients who meet specific clinical criteria as determined by an emergency medicine or hospital physician. Designed for inpatient hospitalized adults with acute-level needs, the program supports patients who are clinically stable to recover at home with close monitoring by a dedicated care team of doctors, 24/7 nurses and community paramedics. They may have any condition their physician decides can be safely treated at home, including pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cellulitis and urinary tract infections (UTIs), among many others.

“From a clinical perspective – especially for our older patients – we know that maintaining healthy sleep hygiene (a predictable sleep routine) in a familiar environment can significantly reduce the risk of delirium, which can lead to prolonged hospitalizations. Research has shown that patients prefer recovering at home and that participants in Hospital at Home programs often require less skilled nursing care after acute care. Knowing this provides a compelling case for providing hospital-level medical care in a patient’s home,” said Alison Bartfield, MD, medical director of Baptist Physician Partners Senior Strategy and Baptist Hospital at Home. “With 24/7 remote monitoring technology and daily clinical visits, we can maintain the highest safety standards and provide the same level of medical oversight as if they were in an inpatient unit while fostering the natural healing that occurs in a familiar environment.”

24/7 care and services

If recommended for the program and the patient consents to receiving care at home, the Baptist Hospital at Home care coordination team will facilitate a smooth transition home, organizing all care and services needed to support one’s recovery. Special equipment, including wearable devices and tablets will be provided to enable 24-hour virtual monitoring by nurses and care teams, without requiring patients to have home internet. Each patient receives a personalized care plan with integrated support services, including a daily virtual visit with a physician, 24/7 virtual nursing and at least two daily in-person visits with a community paramedic.

Baptist Hospital at Home patients have access to many of the same inpatient medical services available at Baptist Health hospitals. Available services include:

• A personalized care plan;
• At least two in-person visits daily by a community paramedic, plus a daily virtual visit with a physician;
• 24/7 virtual nursing oversight and communication (all equipment provided, including tablets and even Wi-Fi, if needed);
• Labs, EKG, IV infusions/medications, oxygen/respiratory care, imaging and diagnostic services; and
• Pharmacy services, nutrition, care management services (social work, case management, discharge planning), physical and occupational therapy.

“As health care continues to evolve, we’re focused on care models that are both forward-thinking and practical for the communities we serve,” said Matthew A. Zuino, MSIS, FACHE, president and CEO of Baptist Health. “Baptist Hospital at Home allows us to deliver advanced, hospital-level care in a setting that many patients prefer – right in their own homes – while maintaining the expertise, safety standards and personal connection that define our health system.”

Many insurances offer Hospital at Home coverage. Baptist Health will verify coverage for patients who may be candidates for the program. Baptist Hospital at Home is billed the same as an inpatient stay.

For more information on Baptist Hospital at Home, please visit BaptistJax.com/HaH.