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For patients
What is Hospital at Home?
Hospital at Home is an internationally established care service that enables hospital-equivalent treatment at home. In this model, you or your relatives are cared for by an interprofessional team of nurses and doctors who visit you several times a day, similar to a hospital stay, and provide treatment at home.
Is the Hospital at Home treatment concept new?
No, the treatment concept has existed for more than 10 years. Hospital at Home is practiced in around 35 countries, including Switzerland for about 2 years. For more information on current Swiss providers, please visit the website of the Swiss Hospital at Home Society www.shahs.ch.
What are the advantages of Hospital at Home compared to a hospital stay?
Hospital at Home offers many advantages compared to an inpatient stay. For example, at home, we are ten times more mobile and experience fewer falls. We sleep significantly better in our own environment, which promotes faster recovery. Being in familiar surroundings also reduces the risk of developing delirium — a state of acute confusion that can become life-threatening. Additionally, dangerous hospital-acquired infections can be avoided.
However, Hospital at Home treatment is not suitable for every illness, which is why a thorough assessment by the treating team is essential beforehand.
How does Hospital at Home differ from standard Spitex care?
Hospital at Home is hospital-equivalent treatment designed for patients who are too acutely ill to be cared for solely by Spitex and would otherwise require hospital admission. Unlike standard Spitex services, Hospital at Home provides comprehensive medical and nursing care directly at home. As part of an integrated care approach, the Hospital at Home team works closely with Spitex staff to ensure optimal patient care.
Are the treatment costs covered?
There are no additional costs for patients receiving Hospital at Home treatment.
For health care professionals
Which diagnoses are suitable for Hospital at Home?
The most common diagnoses treated in Hospital at Home are:
- Pneumonia
- Decompensated heart failure
- Infection-exacerbated COPD
- Soft tissue infections
- Febrile cystitis/pyelonephritis/urinary retention
- Pain exacerbation
- SARS-CoV-2/RSV/Influenza infections
- Acute care for palliative patients (e.g., ascites or pleural punctures)
- Acute diarrhea/gastroenteritis/IBD flare-ups
- Hypertensive emergencies with blood pressure regulation
- Dehydration
In addition to these, other acute illnesses may also be treated in Hospital at Home after thorough assessment with the treating team, the patient, and their relatives.
What are the requirements for a referral to Hospital at Home?
There has to be an acute condition requiring hospitalization. This means that patients are either referred to a hospital by their general practitioner or informed in the emergency department that they require inpatient treatment. The patients, along with their relatives and loved ones, must agree to the hospital-equivalent treatment at home. Additionally, the patients must reside within the designated service area, and comprehensive and safe medical care must be ensured.
What diagnostic measures can be performed as part of a Hospital at Home treatment?
In addition to nursing and medical history taking and clinical examination, continuous or intermittent monitoring of vital signs can be performed. Laboratory diagnostics and tissue sample examinations, as well as ECG, ultrasound, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, and long-term ECG can be conducted in the home setting. For further diagnostics such as X-ray, CT, MRI, or specialized medical examinations, cooperation with regional practice partners is established.