Acceptability to patients of a home hospital

OBJECTIVE: To examine the acceptability to older patients of receiving care in the home for acute medical conditions that require hospital level care by current standards. DESIGN: Interviews with patients during hospitalization regarding their views of a hypothetical "home hospital." PARTICIPANTS: Patients (n = 87) admitted to a community-based academic medical center with a primary diagnosis of pneumonia, congestive heart failure, or chronic obstructive airway disease, their nurses (n = 111), and resident physicians (67). MEASUREMENTS: A questionnaire was developed to measure several domains of acceptability and expectations for care. RESULTS: A majority of patients agreed that treatment in a home hospital would be more comfortable compared with treatment in a hospital (78.5%), would be less likely to result in an infection (62.5%), and would not be a burden to their family (71.8%). There was less certainty that medical care at home can be as good as in the hospital (56.9%). Nearly three-quarters (72.3%) of patients would choose home hospital if it were available. CONCLUSION: Patients may be ready to accept home hospital as an alternative for acute care. The acceptability of home hospital to acutely ill older patients is a critical factor in the development of this alternative for care and has the potential for improving satisfaction with care, reducing complications, hastening return to function, and, possibly, of lowering costs of care.