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. 2020 Oct;50(10):1267-1271.
doi: 10.1111/imj.15011. Epub 2020 Sep 18.

Planning and clinical role of acute medical home care services for COVID-19: consensus position statement by the Hospital-in-the-Home Society Australasia

Penelope A Bryant  1   2   3 , Benjamin A Rogers  4   5 , Raquel Cowan  6   7   8 , Asha C Bowen  9   10 , James Pollard  11 ; Hospital-in-the-Home Society Australasia
Affiliations

Planning and clinical role of acute medical home care services for COVID-19: consensus position statement by the Hospital-in-the-Home Society Australasia

Penelope A Bryant et al. Intern Med J. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

During a pandemic when hospitals are stretched and patients need isolation, the role of hospital-in-the-home (HITH) providing acute medical care at home has never been more relevant. We aimed to define and address the challenges to acute home care services posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Planning for service operation involves staffing, equipment availability and cleaning, upskilling in telehealth and communication. Planning for clinical care involves maximising cohorts of patients without COVID-19 and new clinical pathways for patients with COVID-19. The risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, specific COVID-19 clinical pathways and the well-being of patients and staff should be addressed in advance.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; acute home care; hospital-at-home; hospital-based home care services; hospital-in-the-home; virtual hospital.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Checklist for optimising hospital‐in‐the‐home (HITH) service during COVID‐19 pandemic.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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