Hospital in the Home (HITH) is an admitted acute care service provided to patients in their own home, or other suitable environment outside hospital. Patients are still regarded as hospital inpatients and remain under the care of their hospital doctor. Services are provided by members of the hospital team including nurses, doctors and allied health professionals.
People may be offered HITH if their healthcare team believes that their care can be delivered safely at home. Sometimes HITH can be delivered in other places if the location offers the same benefits and level of safety as the patient’s home.
Receiving care through HITH is voluntary and charges are the same as those for inpatient admissions.
Services provided
There are 44 public and private hospitals that provide HITH services across Victoria. These hospitals provide a wide range of treatments through HITH including:- post-surgical care
- intravenous antibiotics
- chemotherapy
- anticoagulant therapy.
<h2>Eligibility</h2><p>Hospital in the Home is available to Victorian public hospital patients who are clinically stable, have support at home (for example, a carer) and who live in a suitable environment with access to a telephone.</p>
How to access
Patients may be admitted to HITH in different ways depending on their condition and treatment. Some patients may be directly admitted from the emergency department or the community, others may have a stay in hospital first and continue their treatment through the hospital’s HITH service.Costs
There are no additional costs for accessing HITH through public hospitals, charges are the same as those for inpatient admissions.Profile
Sector
Conventional healthcareImportant
If you are a patient receiving care through a HITH service and need help, please contact the Hospital in the Home service on the number you have been given or call the hospital’s emergency department.Complaints
- Health Complaints , Complaints and Information, call 1300 582 113
- Australian Health Practitioner Regulation (AHPRA) in your state, call 1300 419 495
- Better Health Channel - Complaints about health services