Home hospital reduces costs, improves care

The home hospital model of care—in which select patients receive hospital-level care for an acute illness from the comfort of their own home instead of in a traditional hospital—has become increasingly popular across the United States. A pilot study conducted by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital indicated that the home hospital model has the potential to lower costs and improve care. Now, the results of the investigators' randomized controlled trial with more patients strengthens the evidence, showing that home hospital care reduced cost, utilization, and readmissions while increasing physical activity compared with usual hospital care. Results are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.