The My Home Hospital service has achieved a significant milestone, helping 10,000 patients receive acute hospital-level care in the comfort and privacy of their own home, including residential aged care and disability-supported facilities.
My Home Hospital is an SA Health service delivered by a joint venture between Calvary and Amplar Health, offering treatment for patients in metropolitan Adelaide and the regions surrounding Gawler, Mount Barker, and the Southern Fleurieu.
Eligible patients can be referred to the service by medical professionals, including GPs, nurse practitioners, the SA Virtual Care Service, SA Ambulance Service, or from a hospital Emergency Department.
The My Home Hospital service, which commenced in January 2021, provides hospital-level care by doctors, nurses and allied health practitioners to patients with specific conditions, diverting those people away from our metropolitan hospitals.
As well as daily visits from highly skilled nurses, patients are monitored using home health technology, giving round-the-clock virtual care.
The service accepts referrals 24-hours a day, seven days a week, for treatment of a range of clinical conditions, as well as assisting with x-rays, blood tests, medications and other support services that don’t necessarily require a physical hospital visit.
These conditions include:
- infections requiring intravenous antibiotics, like cellulitis, pneumonia and mastitis
- exacerbation of respiratory conditions
- heart failure
- post-operative care
- gastrointestinal conditions
- other conditions for which in-home care is considered safe and appropriate.
The Calvary Amplar Health Joint Venture, which delivers My Home Hospital, is accredited under the National Safety and Quality Health Service standards. Quality assurance and continuous improvement strategies are in place to ensure that required standards
for safety and quality are met.
My Home Hospital patient Claire Stewart, pictured right, recently developed an infection that normally would have seen her spending time in hospital.
"I would have been admitted to Noarlunga Hospital or Flinders Medical Centre if My Home Hospital hadn’t been available," Ms Stewart said.
"It made such a difference for me to be at home - to use my own bathroom, to sleep in my own bed, be supported by my husband and son.
"My Home Hospital is the type of innovation we need in the system. You sleep and eat better at home - it truly supports you to recover.
"The road nurses were incredible and so supportive. I really felt that I wasn’t just a number because I had such personalised care."
Integrated Care Systems Executive Director Jeanette Walters said being surrounded by family, friends and even pets had "immeasurable benefits to your overall health and wellbeing".
"My Home Hospital uses home health technology that is easy to use," Ms Walters said.
"It allows our nurses and doctors to stay in touch with the patient at any time, and to review their pulse, temperature and blood pressure as soon as the patient takes them."
