Jacksonville, Fla.-based Baptist Health has expanded its hospital-at-home program to Baptist Medical Center South, eight months after launching it at its flagship Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville.
More than 300 patients have transferred home from the two hospitals since the program launched in February, the health system said Oct. 25.
The program serves clinically stable adults who need hospital-level care for conditions such as pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cellulitis and urinary tract infections. An emergency medicine or hospital physician determines whether a patient qualifies.
Patients get at least two in-person visits a day from a community paramedic, a daily virtual visit with a physician and 24/7 virtual nursing oversight. Baptist supplies the equipment, including tablets and Wi-Fi when needed, and provides lab work, electrocardiograms, IV medications, oxygen, imaging, pharmacy services and physical and occupational therapy at home.
Alison Bartfield, MD, medical director of Baptist Hospital at Home, said that when home recovery is clinically appropriate, research shows “many patients experience positive outcomes and there are fewer readmissions to the hospital following care.”
Kyle Dorsey, president of Baptist South, said the expansion lets patients, on their physician’s recommendation, receive hospital-level care where they are most comfortable.
Baptist Health said it will keep evaluating the program and weigh expanding it to more locations.
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