WHY HOSPITAL AT HOME?
A PROVEN MODEL FOR MODERN CARE DELIVERY
THE HOSPITAL AT HOME CONCEPT
Health systems are facing unprecedented challenges related to capacity, workforce shortages, patient expectations, and rising costs. Hospital-at-Home programs offer a proven solution by enabling eligible patients to receive acute-level care in their homes while helping organizations optimize inpatient resources and improve operational efficiency.
THE CMS ACUTE HOSPITAL CARE AT HOME WAIVER HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH 2030, PROVIDING HEALTH SYSTEMS WITH THE CONFIDENCE TO INVEST IN A PROVEN MODEL FOR MODERN CARE DELIVERY.
Expand Capacity: Expand care capacity without the time and cost of adding new inpatient beds.
Improve Patient Experience: Deliver high-quality acute care in the setting many patients prefer – their own home.
Optimize Inpatient Resources: Reserve inpatient beds for the highest-acuity patients and improve throughput across the system.
Lower Total Cost of Care: Support value-based care goals by reducing costs while maintaining quality outcomes.
THE IMPACT OF HOSPITAL-AT-HOME PROGRAMS
Hospital-at-Home Programs Deliver Measurable Results
Research consistently demonstrates that Hospital-at-Home programs can improve patient outcomes, increase patient satisfaction, reduce the total cost of care, and support more efficient utilization of hospital resources.
32%
reduction in total cost of treatment
45%
reduction in readmissions
84%+
reduction in risk of long-term care
19%+
reduction in odds of mortality
22%
increase in patient satisfaction
33%+
reduction in mean length of stay
What This Means for Health Systems
- Expand capacity without constructing new inpatient beds
- Improve patient satisfaction and engagement
- Reduce avoidable readmissions
- Better utilize existing hospital resources
- Support value-based care initiatives
- Improve operational efficiency while maintaining quality outcomes
Sources
- B. Leff, L. Burton, S. L. Mader et al., “Hospital at Home: Feasibility and Outcomes of a Program to Provide Hospital-Level Care at Home for Acutely Ill Older Patients,” Annals of Internal Medicine, Dec. 2005 143(11):798–808.
- Aimonino Ricauda N, Tibaldi V, Leff B, et al. Substitutive “hospital at home” versus inpatient care for elderly patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective randomized, controlled trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008;56(3):493-500.
- Federman AD, Soones T, DeCherrie LV, Leff B, Siu AL. Association of a Bundled Hospital-at-Home and 30-Day Postacute Transitional Care Program With Clinical Outcomes and Patient Experiences. JAMA Intern Med. 2018;178(8):1033-1040.
- Caplan GA, Sulaiman NS, Mangin DA, Aimonino Ricauda N, Wilson AD, Barclay L. A meta-analysis of “hospital in the home”. Med J Aust. 2012 Nov 5;197(9):512-9. doi: 10.5694/mja12.10480. PMID: 23121588.
- Hospital at Home models: Reducing costs and improving outcomes. (2019, November 6). Retrieved from https://www.claconnect.com/resources/articles/2019/hospital at home-models-reducing-costs-and-improving
Turning Hospital-at-Home Vision Into Reality
While the benefits of Hospital-at-Home are clear, successful implementation requires the right people, processes, technology, and operational expertise. Shields at Home partners with health systems to design, launch, and scale sustainable programs built for long-term success.
CUSTOMIZATION
Tailored program design that aligns with your health system’s clinical, operational, and strategic goals for both new and existing programs.
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
Optimized workflows and operational support that help accelerate implementation, improve performance, and enable scale.
INFRASTRUCTURE
A proven network of people, technology, and services needed to safely deliver hospital-level care in the home.
DEMONSTRATED OUTCOMES
A partnership model focused on delivering measurable improvements in quality, patient experience and program sustainability.
Shields at Home
Teaming up to bring
your hospital home
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Hospital at Home partnership
With CMS extending the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver through September 30, 2030, health systems now have the long-term regulatory certainty needed to invest in Hospital-at-Home programs with confidence. This five-year extension reinforces Hospital-at-Home as a sustainable care delivery model and creates new opportunities for organizations to expand access, improve patient experience, and support strategic growth.