August 24, 2022 – From improved patient outcomes to higher patient and clinician satisfaction, the UNC Health’s hospital at home program, Advanced Care at Home, has shown how home hospitalization can have a life-changing positive impact on patients and families. In honor of its excellence, the program received the Highsmith Award for Innovation, one of the North Carolina Healthcare Association’s (NCHA) highest group honors. It is presented for collaborative work by hospitals and health systems that utilize new skills, practices and systems to transform healthcare delivery to patients.
Advanced Care at Home delivers hospital level care including infusions, diagnostic tests, nursing assessments and physician visits to patients in their homes through a combination of in-person and virtual care. The program began by serving patients from UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill and UNC Health Rex in Raleigh who had specific diagnoses such as heart failure, COPD, and pneumonia. However, the program quickly expanded clinical abilities to cover additional medical conditions. Also, it increased patient access to other parts of North Carolina including: UNC Hillsborough and UNC Holly Springs. Since the program went live on August 30, 2021, it has so far provided care to 456 patients ranging from age 37 to 103 across 46 zip codes in the state – proving there are many benefits to receiving hospital care in the space that patients prefer, their home.
As the pandemic raged on during the delta and omicron variant waves in the second half of 2021and early 2022, shifting care to a patient’s home not only kept them safe and comfortable, but also freed up hospital space and staff for critically ill COVID patients. “Sick but stable” patients received 24/7 virtual care and UNC Health clinicians carried out patient-care plans deploying a network of in-home service providers including paramedics, skilled nurses, lab services, mobile imaging, therapy, and more.
“This program was designed and implemented by frontline, patient-facing healthcare workers who wanted to create a care model that we would offer to our own families,” said Dr. Udayakumar. “Staff from across the UNC Health system collaborated to create a program that provides high clinical quality, safety, and a positive patient experience.”
Reducing stress of hospitalization by providing a seamless transition of healthcare in the home has helped many patients to maintain their independence and continue the healing process where they feel most comfortable. The Advanced Care at Home model enables patients to receive the right care in the right place at the right time and the reviews about the program speak for themselves.