Northern Health’s Hospital In The Home (HITH) service provides the opportunity for patients to continue their hospital treatment in the comfort of their own home, or other suitable location. HITH provides acute health care in the community allowing patients to return home sooner. Provision of care in a familiar environment has demonstrated improved patient outcomes, including fewer complications and increased patient and carer satisfaction.
Northern Health has a 70-bed adult HITH program and an 8-bed paediatric HITH program.
The HITH team includes medical consultants (Emergency Medicine, Infectious Disease, Respiratory and Geriatrics) Medical Registrars, dedicated pharmacists, Allied Health and experienced and skilled specialist community nurses.
All patients remain under the home medical treatment team and attend specialist consultant outpatient clinics with HITH nursing advocacy.
Specialist Heart Failure care and management is provided the VWHF (Virtual Ward Heart Failure) comprised of Nurse Practitioner and Heart Failure specialists who provide daily virtual health assessments to patients admitted under the VWHF bed card. Other specialist streams include; Trial of Void (TOV), IBD@ Home.
What to expect from the service?
A nurse will meet with you to assess your needs and to discuss both your medical treatment and home environment. Admission to the program is voluntary and HITH will talk you through your responsibilities to receive care from the service and discuss any concerns.
There is no additional cost for those who hold a valid Medicare card with HITH providing dressings or equipment related to your current condition.
As a HITH patient a community nurse will visit daily (more frequently if required) or call to provide care and support, with home visits occurring during operational hours of 8am- 9pm. HITH nurses will update the Northern Hospital doctors on your progress.
If you are concerned about your health at any time while you are with the program, you can call and speak to a nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You may be required to attend our clinic at the hospital if required as per your condition, the nurse will co-ordinate this with you.