Home Hospital

The WA Country Health Service Home Hospital service - also known as Hospital in The Home (HiTH) - provides comprehensive hospital-level care to eligible patients within their own home environment.

The availability of Home Hospital/ HiTH beds is being expanded across the state, including WA Country Health Service hospitals in Albany, Broome, Bunbury, Busselton, Geraldton, and Northam.

When you are referred and admitted to the Home Hospital service you remain under the care of our hospital team who will continue to manage and provide your care.

The Home Hospital team includes:

• Medical
• Nursing
• Pharmacist
• Allied Health
• Administration

The benefits of the Home Hospital service:

• Provides safe, quality in a familiar, comfortable environment
• Reduced risk of health care acquired infections
• Advocates for patients and their Carers to make informed decisions about their health with the support of our healthcare teams

How Home Hospital works:

Your hospital doctor can refer you to Home Hospital if you are medically stable and your treatment can be managed at home.

To be eligible to receive Home Hospital visits, patients must meet our risk assessment standards and live within the designated locations.

A nurse will contact you to plan your treatment, and the Home Hospital team will work with your hospital treating team to ensure you receive the same standard of safe, quality hospital care you need to support your recovery.

Receiving care at home means you're still under the hospital’s care, and that’s a great step in your recovery journey. Having the support of family, carers, and friends with personal care and household tasks can make a big difference and help you feel more comfortable and confident as you recover.

Your rights and responsibilities

As a patient, you have the right to:

• be treated with respect and dignity
• be informed and updated about your treatment plans and progress
• receive high quality care from our Home Hospital team
• have your personal information remain confidential

Your responsibilities are to:

• understand that you may be required to be admitted to hospital if your condition deteriorates
• assist in the development of your care plan
• inform the Home Hospital team of any changes in your condition and or circumstances
• ensure you and your Carer have a working telephone, either a landline or mobile phone that is connected and in working order.
• attend clinic appointments as required
• ensure any hospital supplies and equipment are treated with care and stored as instructed
• ensure the home environment is both safe and suitable for receiving treatment
• ensure there is no smoking in the house when receiving treatment from our team
• ensure all pets are outside or restrained for the duration of the visit
• understand that home visits can be withdrawn at any time if the Home Hospital team identify a potential risk within the home environment
• understand that times of home visits cannot be guaranteed

In the event of an Emergency:

If you have a life-threatening medical condition, call 000 and request an ambulance or have someone take you to the nearest emergency department.

Discharge:

When your condition has stabilised adequately, the Home Hospital team with liaise with your relevant community providers such as GP, community pharmacy or community allied health, to make sure that there is clear transition of your medical care.