Patient-Centered Care: A Qualitative Analysis of Patient and Caregiver Experiences in a Hospital at Home Program.

Abstract

This descriptive qualitative study aimed to address a gap in the literature by exploring the experiences of Hospital at Home (HaH) patients and caregivers. HaH programs, which deliver hospital-level care to patients in their homes, are increasingly popular outside the United States. Yet, there is less emphasis on understanding the experiences of patients and caregivers while actively receiving hospital-level care in the home and how their insights can enhance care delivery. A purposeful sample of 12 patients and five caregivers participated in semistructured interviews during the acute care stage and 30 days after their discharge from hospital-level care in the home. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: (1) patient-centered communication and education, (2) differences in medical care at home, and (3) the impact of technology on the overall experience. These themes provide valuable insights into the factors that patients and caregivers believe positively and negatively influence their experiences within the HaH program. Moreover, the themes highlight aspects of the HaH model that are important to patients/caregivers and those that can be improved.

Clinical trialsgov: Number: NCT05952999Analysis of the Virtual Acute Care at Home Experience (HaH)URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/search?term = NCT05952999.