Clinical profile of home-based care patients in a Brazilian cohort

Abstract

Background The concern with increasing healthcare expenditures and the quality of life of chronically dependent of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) patients, led to the emergence of home-based care services (HBCS), which aims the humanization of health services and the reduction of hospital length of stay. Knowledge about the models used in HBCS and the results achieved is essential to identify, plan and execute actions that minimize obstacles to the adequate provision of this service. Methods Descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study, in a HBCS provided by a private hospital in Fortaleza, Brazil. The medical records of 98 adult patients from the HBCS in need of IMV were analyzed. Results In 2019, 156 patients went through the HBCS. Of these, 58 were under 18 years-old and not included in the sample. Of the adult patients, 42 (42,8%) were male and 56 (57,1%) female. The age range varied from 28 to 102 years-old and the median age was 85 years. 57 (58,2%) patients were admitted throughout 2019, and 16 (28,1%) of them had, at least, 1 hospital readmission in 2019. 41 (41,8%) patients had been admitted before 2019, and 6 (14,6%) of them had, at least, 1 readmission in 2019. These facts may suggest that the need of hospitalization tend to happen more at the beginning of home-based care. In 2019, 13 (13,3%) patients died. 8 (61,5%) of these were admitted in 2019, and 5 (38,4%) were already in the HBCS before that year. The main diagnosis were: Dementia (21,4%), Chronic Encephalopathy (9,1%) and Multiple Sclerosis (8,2%). Conclusions The study shows that, even in an elderly and dependent cohort, the need of re-hospitalization and mortality rates are low, which points to the need of further studies of HBCS in order to reduce hospital stay and expenditures. Key messages It is important to deepen studies related to home-based care models, in association with payment expenses inquiries, as this type of assistance seems to develop humanized and safe care. The mortality rate of the HBCS studied was 13% and the overall re-hospitalization rate was 22,4%, which points this as a promising model for IMV dependent patients.