How hospital-at-home programs grew from 1 to more than 250

How hospital-at-home programs grew from 1 to more than 250 unknown

Hospital-at-home programs have grown to more than 250 around the country as hospitals — and patients — have gotten more comfortable moving care to the home, NPR reported.

Leaders from Mayo Clinic's Jacksonville, Fla., hospital, which had one of the first such programs, say they reduce costs and cut down on unnecessary care, leaving more satisfied patients in their wake, according to the April 29 story.

"People do better; they're more mobile, they recover faster," Michael Maniaci, MD, medical director of virtual care for Mayo Clinic, told the news outlet. "They use physical therapy or skilled nursing care less. You ask: Why is that? Because there's something magical about being at home."

CMS also started relaxing reimbursement rules for hospital-at-home during the pandemic and has extended them through the end of 2024.

Not everyone, however, is in favor of these initiatives. "Hospital-at-home programs are billing in-patient care rates while shifting all of the care responsibilities to family members, the patients themselves, and the public 911 system," Michelle Mahon, RN, assistant director of nursing practice at National Nurses United, told NPR.

But experts expect them to stick around. Dr. Maniaci told the news outlet it's simply the "modern version" of the house calls that physicians used to do.