Urged on by COVID-era successes, hundreds of health systems and hospitals across the country are delivering hospital-level care at home. But questions about cost, complexity, and culture are threatening a promising strategy and its 'toxic positivity.' Is it time to abandon ship and return care to the hospital?
Welcome to our December 2024 cover story. Each month, our editors will be taking a deep dive into the topics that matter most to you in our cover story series. From ways to win the payer/provider war to the new era of the APP, we've been working hard this year (and we have even bigger plans for 2025).
What did we look into this month? Hospital at home.
The hospital and the home could not be more different, yet a bold strategy is trying to merge the two. It’s a gamble that could reshape healthcare—or collapse under its own complexity.
The Hospital at Home strategy, borne out of the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, was meant to alleviate overcrowded hospitals and offer patients a more comfortable setting to heal. But as it expands, cracks are beginning to show in its ambitious foundation.
On paper, the model combines the best of in-person and virtual care. In practice, it’s a high-stakes balancing act that some argue is teetering dangerously close to failure.
Supporters hail it as a revolution, pointing to studies showing improved outcomes and cost savings. But critics warn of the risks: patients with serious conditions treated far from the safety net of a fully equipped hospital, escalating costs, and a healthcare system strain-ing to adapt.
At a time when more execs are buying in to hospital at home, is it actually time time retreat? Eric Wicklund tries to find out in this month's cover story.
Read the cover story here.
Amanda Norris is the Director of Content for HealthLeaders.