Home Care

Abstract

Recent health-care reforms have necessitated a competitive market-driven approach to health care that has resulted in bed closures. As a consequence, long waiting lists for hospital care have emerged as a feature of modern life. Countries worldwide seek to alleviate pressure on health services through various strategies, including the transfer of patients directly to home from emergency departments, the increase of same day surgery, transfer of elderly patients to low-intensity care settings, and a variety of home-care initiatives including Home Hospital or Hospital in the Home. These programs have been developed to allow the care of stabilized acute care patients to be undertaken in the home. There are significant benefits for patients cared for at home, including increased comfort and less exposure to the dangers of hospital-acquired infections. It is important, however, to consider the effect on patients, carers, and health professionals of a model of care that can be intrusive, challenging, and resource intensive.