DOI: 10.1308/147363508X287259

Author: Towell, Elaine¹

Source: Bulletin of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Volume 90, Number 3, March 2008 , pp. 82-83(2)

Abstract:

Tr eating patients at home has been commonplace in Europe, Australia and the US for decades and now it seems the practice is gaining momentum in the UK. With hospitals under pressure to cut costs by reducing hospital stays and the shift towards care closer to home, Trusts are turning to 'hospital at home' services, which concentrate on providing nurse-led care to support early discharge following surgery. Advocates of the schemes cite faster recovery times and re duced risk of hospital-acquired infections among the benefits. In addition, with bed days costing up to a thousand pounds a day depending on the ward, financial gain is high.

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Communications Department