Virtual wards enabled by technology: hospital-level care for people in their own home
Who are the Hospital at Home Team (HAHT) - also known as a virtual ward?
A Senior Multidisciplinary Team all experienced in acute care in a hospital environment.
What they do
The aim of the Hospital At Home Team, is to provide short-term acute care (about 1 – 7 days) within the homes of our patients (including Residential and Nursing homes). They aim to provide treatment and support whilst monitoring the patient’s condition to allow them to be cared for in the comfort of their own environment. They work closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team to promote independence and facilitate early and safe discharge.
Patients may be referred to the Hospital At Home Team for medical treatment, requiring e.g., oxygen therapy, nebuliser therapy, intravenous antibiotics, bloods and INR monitoring.
Some of the clinical conditions seen include:
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Pulmonary embolisms (PEs)
• Heart failure
• Chest infections
• Pneumonias
• Cellulitis
• Deranged Bloods
• Osteomyelitis
• Complex infected wounds
The list is not exhaustive.
How they work
The patient will be referred to the team by their hospital Consultant/team and their care will remain under this Consultant while at home (and not their GP), until discharge from the Hospital At Home Team. A member of the team will assess the patient on the ward prior to transfer to the team. We then visit the patient on the specified date (usually the next day, unless otherwise specified).
We aim to visit our patients between the hours of 9am and 4pm to provide their treatment. However, the team works 8am until 6pm and your visit may occur any time within these hours (unless otherwise specified).
Hospital At Home Team philosophy
Whilst under the care of the Hospital at Home Team (HAHT), your care will be provided by a team of experienced nurses and therapists who will take a holistic approach to provide your care.
As a team, they aim to recognise each patient as an individual. Your care will be planned to incorporate your physical, psychological, social and spiritual wellbeing. They also highly respect individual, cultural and religious beliefs.
They aim to empower you and your family to be involved in your care to promote independence where possible.
As a team, they recognise that they are guests in your home and they will deliver your care in a professional and confidential manner. On occasions, they will also involve other professionals, where appropriate, to provide you with the highest standards of care whilst under the care of the team.
The Hospital at Home Team are dedicated to providing up-to-date research based care for our patients. They, therefore, feel it is important to actively encourage individual professional development and progression amongst our team.
They understand that your stay in hospital is often a stressful and disruptive time both for yourself and your family and they aim to minimise this by providing your care in the comfort of your own home.