Treating acutely ill patients at home, rather than in hospital, could slash treatment costs by up to 50 per cent and reduce mortality rates by 20 per cent, research has found.
An issues paper prepared by researchers from the QUT-based Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI) also found home-based care would cut hospital readmission by a quarter.
Yet despite overwhelming evidence that hospital in the home is good value for money and good for patient health, Queenslanders were slower than other Australians to embrace it.
The research was presented at a recent AusHSI ideas forum that brought together almost 100 leading clinicians, academics, policy makers, managers and carers to discuss the opportunities and barriers to adoption of home therapies.
The paper, which looked at home therapies including ‘hospital in the home’, renal dialysis and IV antibiotic use, found in many cases home-based care was better for the patient and more cost effective.
But cultural change in the health profession was needed to overcome uncertainty about quality and safety and funding mechanisms had to ensure that home care providers were appropriately compensated, while avoiding cost shifting between state and national funding systems.
AusHSI Academic Director Professor Nick Graves, from QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, said: “Healthcare in the home has the potential to be important for health services in the next decade because we can’t afford to look after everyone in hospital.
“It is a priority for the Queensland Government because of its potential to improve patient flow, meet national emergency access targets and increase capacity within the healthcare system.
“Also, when you are in hospital there are more opportunities for complex, costly and often unnecessary investigations and treatments to happen.”
Melissa McCusker, Nurse Unit Manager responsible for the Acute Care @ Home services of QEII Hospital said: “Home treatment is not a new concept but it can be difficult for patients and staff to understand.
“Queensland has taken a little longer than other states to grow the hospital in the home services. There needs to be a good working relationship and trust among the whole healthcare team.
“Besides the cost savings, patients often prefer being at home and there can be other benefits like a reduced risk of hospital acquired/cross infection, medication errors and decreased patient depression and anxiety.”
Healthcare consumer advocate Martin Chambers looks after his wife Loraine, who has been on renal dialysis for the past 13 years.
“When patients choose to be a home care patient, they accept a greater responsibility for their health but it also means you can retain control of your lifestyle,” he said.
“There are many good outcomes. Loraine has never developed an infection whereas the hospital renal unit has experienced relatively frequent virus outbreaks. When she first began treatment the doctors said we could expect five years or so of dialysis and we’re now at 13.”
AusHSI, a foremost voice in health services innovation in Australia, was set up by Queensland Health, The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QUT and the University of Queensland, to find better and lower-cost ways to manage the 10% of GDP Australia spends on health services.
AusHSI will prepare a Recommendations Paper, to be released in June.
Media contact:
Sophy Edmonds, Edmonds Marketing, 0430 026 739, Sophy@edmondsmarketing.com.au
Rob Kidd, QUT Media, 07 3138 1841, rj.kidd@qut.edu.au
