Overall patient experience with a virtual hybrid hospital at home program

Abstract

Objectives: Traditional hospital at home models often have high patient experience scores. The purpose of this study is to look at the patient experience of a new virtual hybrid model of hospital at home called Advanced Care at Home. Methods: Patients in Mayo Clinic’s Advanced Care at Home program received a survey via email from 1 January–31 May 2021. Each survey consisted of 20 questions divided into 18 multiple-choice and two open-ended questions. Results: Ninety-nine surveys were sent and 41 partially or completely finished surveys were returned for a response rate of 41.4%. Patients responded positively, denoted by answering “strongly agree or somewhat agree,” with regard to the ability to reach the team right away 100% of the time, being kept informed 92% of the time, the command center responding promptly to their needs 95% of the time, the team providing comfort and support 98% of the time, feeling comfortable with interacting with their provider by phone or tablet 95% of the time, the ease of use from the equipment 97% of the time, the virtual and in-person staff working well together 98% of the time, the staff treating patients with courtesy and respect 100% of the time, and the ease of understanding the discharge process and feeling ready to leave the program 100% of the time. All providers received positive responses on listening ⩾88% of the time. Patients gave a top rating in likelihood to recommend the program 100% of the time. Conclusion: Overall, the Advanced Care at Home model of hospital at home was highly recommended by patients. Patients scored the program high on responsiveness, staff engagement and communication, ease of equipment use, and readiness for discharge, strengthening the overall confidence in this novel program.

Patients' and caregivers' perceptions of the quality of hospital‐at‐home service: A scoping review

“…These concerns were primarily drawn from studies that investigate the reasons behind patients' hesitation in selecting HaH services (Bove et al, 2022; Dismore et al, 2019; Rossinot et al, 2019; Saenger et al, 2020), as well as from contexts like rural areas and Singapore where the service was newly introduced and developed (Chua et al, 2022b; Ko et al, 2022; Lai et al, 2021; Levine, Desai, et al, 2021). Patients expressed apprehension about the adequacy of HaH services in meeting their care needs (Makela et al, 2020; Saenger et al, 2020; Utens et al, 2013) and the availability of skilled professionals (Levine, Desai, et al, 2021; Maniaci et al, 2022). Specifically, patients were worried about the instantaneous connectivity, including the accessibility of direct clinical supervision and immediate care in case of a deterioration in their health, which made them feel less secure than in‐hospital care (Bove et al, 2022; Dismore et al, 2019; Ko et al, 2022; Levine, Desai, et al, 2021; Saenger et al, 2020; Utens et al, 2013).…”

Acute postoperative and rehabilitation care managed in a virtual hybrid hospital‐at‐home after a total knee arthroplasty: A case report

“…Patient eligibility for the program is based on an exhaustive social and clinical stability evaluation. The ACH team has to perform a list of questions assessing the social patients' environment (home location, supplies, internet, family/caregivers' availability) and their current state of health and comorbidities, previous to the admission 1 . Therefore, the safety of the home environment and the general health condition of each potential patient is thoroughly evaluated to ensure safe care in the home.…”

“…Additionally, a complex supplier network is available to cover the inpatient needs such as in-person nursing care, laboratory, radiology, physical therapy, and supplies. 1 During the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of telemedicine programs increased exponentially to reduce the influx of patients in hospitals and decrease the length of stay in the hospital wards. 2 Moreover, surgical services were highly affected by the mandatory cessation of elective surgical procedures.…”

“…Patients are continuously monitored through an advanced technological kit by qualified providers located in a centralized command center on Mayo Clinic's Florida campus. Additionally, a complex supplier network is available to cover the inpatient needs such as in‐person nursing care, laboratory, radiology, physical therapy, and supplies 1 …”

Increasing Hospital at Home Enrollment Through Decentralization With Agile Science

“…[2][3][4][5][6] The virtual hybrid HaH model pairs virtual patient interactions with inperson care provided in the patient's home. 7,8 Hospital at home programs serving patients in multiple geographic zones may use a command center to centralize operations and colocate team members for optimal efficiency. [8][9][10] Although command centers are widely used in traditional hospital settings for optimizing patient throughput, effectiveness of HaH command centers is unclear, particularly for patient enrollment.…”