Becker's Healthcare August 13, 2024
More than 300 hospitals have started hospital-at-home programs, but critics question how effective they are, The Wall Street Journal reported Aug. 13.
At-home care began as a nationwide experiment during the pandemic when hospitals were overcrowded. Regulators allowed hospitals to temporarily care for Medicare patients at home who are stable enough to be home but sick enough to need hospital-level care, and still charge hospital-stay rates. The idea stuck after the pandemic ended and hospital finances rebounded, and the programs have attracted a range of healthcare organizations and technology companies.
Despite growing popularity for the program among patients and hospitals, critics worry home-based services raise spending unnecessarily and reduce patient quality and safety.
Patients who receive at-home care see a...
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