Hanna Schroeder, Yitzhak Ben Menachem, Netta Bentur, Dina Cherno, Lior Barak, Ayelet Grinbaum Arizon
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Israel's aging population and demographic growth have driven a surge in hospitalizations, prompting the Ministry of Health to expand community-based care. In 2019, a financial incentive was introduced, special payments to health maintenance organizations (HMOs) for Hospital at Home (HaH) services, implemented in 2020. This study examines changes in the volume and geographic distribution of HaH following this policy. We analyzed retrospective Ministry of Health data on all HaH admissions from 2017-2023, excluding COVID-19 cases. Data included length of stay, referral source (hospital vs. community), patient age, and residence. HMOs reported 70,203 HaH admissions during the study period, increasing from only 8 in 2017 to 33,141 in 2023. Growth was most rapid after the payment policy was introduced. The mean monthly HaH days rose sharply, reaching 2762 in 2023. Over time, the proportion of HaH admissions from central Israel increased, while peripheral areas saw a relative decline. Readmission rates to HaH were low-3% within 1 week, and 8%, 15%, and 23% within 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. HaH could play a significant role in meeting Israel's growing demand for inpatient care. To maximize its impact, policy efforts should address barriers to expansion, particularly in peripheral regions, and promote more equitable geographic access.
期刊介绍：
Health Care Analysis is a journal that promotes dialogue and debate about conceptual and normative issues related to health and health care, including health systems, healthcare provision, health law, public policy and health, professional health practice, health services organization and decision-making, and health-related education at all levels of clinical medicine, public health and global health. Health Care Analysis seeks to support the conversation between philosophy and policy, in particular illustrating the importance of conceptual and normative analysis to health policy, practice and research. As such, papers accepted for publication are likely to analyse philosophical questions related to health, health care or health policy that focus on one or more of the following: aims or ends, theories, frameworks, concepts, principles, values or ideology. All styles of theoretical analysis are welcome providing that they illuminate conceptual or normative issues and encourage debate between those interested in health, philosophy and policy. Papers must be rigorous, but should strive for accessibility – with care being taken to ensure that their arguments and implications are plain to a broad academic and international audience. In addition to purely theoretical papers, papers grounded in empirical research or case-studies are very welcome so long as they explore the conceptual or normative implications of such work. Authors are encouraged, where possible, to have regard to the social contexts of the issues they are discussing, and all authors should ensure that they indicate the ‘real world’ implications of their work. Health Care Analysis publishes contributions from philosophers, lawyers, social scientists, healthcare educators, healthcare professionals and administrators, and other health-related academics and policy analysts.
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