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The impetus for the development of Hospital in the Home (HITH) programs
Maxine Duke
Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, Deakin University, Burwood VIC
Annette F Street
Professor, Cancer and Palliative Care Studies; Director, Centre for Research in Nursing, School of Nursing, La Trobe University, Bundoora VIC
Abstract
Alternative health care delivery models such as Hospital in the Home (HITH) are proliferating in Australia and in most Western countries. Such models facilitate patients who would otherwise be hospitalised to be cared for in their own homes. This paper reports a review of the literature related to the development of HITH programs. It reveals that the driving force behind the implementation of acute care programs comes from political and managerial aims to reduce health care spending. Home is clearly an appropriate care option for certain acute patients however, there is no strong evidence to suggest that is suits everyone. Very little attention has been given to the patient's experience of home care and the ethical and social consequences are largely ignored.
Keywords
hospital in the home, health care costs, acute care, patient experiences
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