by Health Call on 18th September 2023Why Hospital at Home is the Key to the Future of Healthcare Delivery

In the United Kingdom, chronic conditions are on the rise, affecting millions of people and posing significant challenges to both patients and the healthcare system. People with long-term conditions now account for about 50 per cent of all GP appointments, 64 per cent of all outpatient appointments and over 70 per cent of all inpatient bed days.

These conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses, often necessitate frequent face-to-face appointments, disrupting patients’ daily lives, limiting their flexibility, and ability to lead a normal life. But what if there was a solution that could improve the lives of those with chronic conditions and save NHS resource – Enter Hospital at Home.

Patients living with chronic conditions often find themselves caught in a cycle of frequent hospital visits. This regimen is not only disruptive but also costly, both in terms of time and money. The need to arrange appointments around work schedules, the hassle of traveling to and from the hospital, and the expenses related to fuel, public transport, and parking all take a toll on patients’ lives. Moreover, the continuous stream of face-to-face appointments can erode patients’ confidence and make them feel powerless to their condition.

Health Call’s Hospital at Home Solution

Hospital at Home represents a paradigm shift in chronic care management. It offers a patient-centric approach that combines technology and remote monitoring to bring hospital-level care to the comfort of patients’ homes. Here’s how it works:

Remote Monitoring Technology: Hospital at Home leverages advanced remote monitoring technology that allows healthcare providers to monitor patients’ vital signs and health metrics identifying trends and changes over time. From blood pressure and heart rate to oxygen saturation and temperature, this technology enables chronic conditions to be managed effectively from the patient’s home.

Health Call’s Hospital at Home platform allows the clinician to fully customise the vitals and thresholds they wish to monitor for specific health conditions. For example, monitoring patients with Heart Failure clinicians could create a Heart Failure ward and select blood pressure, oxygen saturation levels, heart rate, and weight as the vitals to bemonitored. They could then tailor what specific days of the weeks and times each patient should  take and submit their readings, to ensure only necessary and relevant patient data is received when needed. If the patients personalised threshold has been breached this will send an automated alert to the clinical team, so they can take timely action.

What this means for patients

Patients empowered by this technology in their home, means they can submit their readings around daily life. If there are any breaches this is flagged straight away with clinical teams. Equally patients can make contact with their clinical team requesting a video consultation or a telephone appointment if they feel they need to speak to someone.

A significant portion of patient consultations revolves around conversations. In such cases, physical presence often adds little value, making telephone or video consultations more practical and beneficial for patients. This remote engagement option not only saves time and money but also grants patients greater freedom and flexibility.

Moreover, having access to a comprehensive dashboard and complete historical data empowers clinicians. They gain a holistic view of the patient’s condition, facilitating better-informed decisions and more effective care to gain a fuller picture of their patients health.

 

Supporting the NHS Net Zero Plan

Hospital at Home not only improves the experience for those living with chronic conditions but also aligns with the NHS’s Net Zero plan. By significantly reducing the need for patients to travel to hospitals for routine appointments, Hospital at Home contributes to a decrease in carbon emissions associated with patient transportation, but also means use of lesser consumables than in physical appointments.

With chronic diseases and demand for services rising it is clear that the NHS must adapt to best serve the UK’s changing landscape and patient needs, embracing technologies such a Hospital Home provide a way to help maximise existing capacity while helping to ensure that patients still receive attentive care and get the best outcomes.

If you would like more information on Health Call’s Hospital at Home or any of our digital products, contact [email protected]