QUINCY (WGEM) – A new program has come to Blessing Health System that expands the ability for patients to receive hospital-level quality care from home.
Chief Quality and Safety Officer for Blessing Health System, Mary Frances Barthel said this is a very unique program, that started in 2022 as a part of a research trial to see if hospital-level care could be provided to patients at home in rural areas.
Bartel said Boston has a program that offered hospital-level care in the cities at people’s homes, and they wanted to apply that to rural areas. She said they considered factors such as cost, patient response to care, and other factors to see if the program would be effective.
She said the program is for patients with an acute illness, such as an infection or congestive heart failure. After meeting other criteria, Blessing can offer the option of having care at home where nurses visit twice daily to administer treatment to the patients and provide telehealth calls with a physician.
She said they have gotten positive responses from patients.
“The schedule of the patient during the day really is revolving around the patient instead of around hospital processes and hospital staff. So patients really appreciate that. You know they can sleep in their own beds, wear their clothes, eat their own food and really be a lot more comfortable,” Barthel said.
She said it also means patients don’t face any transportation barriers.
The program is eligible for people within 60 minutes of Blessing Hospital.
She said families like it too, as it allows them to interact with the doctors much easier if they have any questions.
Most patients are in the program for about a week or less. She said it also helps free up beds in the hospital.
According to Barthel, 70 patients have gone through the program, and at most two to four are in the program at one time.
Palmyra Resident James Lake had to go to the hospital for an infection. His daughter said he felt uncomfortable and confused in the hospital, but when he came home, he felt more comfortable. She said the at-home program was perfect for him.
He likes how convenient the care is and how the nurses come to him to provide him treatment and care, and that he doesn’t have to drive or get a ride to the hospital.
“I’m too old to drive a truck. I could drive a truck, but I don’t want to, that’s too old,” Lake said.
He said the nurse is very friendly and provides great care. His daughter likes how they can administer medicine and test vitals without having to come into the hospital.
She said they it comes at the time that works best for him, so he doesn’t have to move his schedule around.
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