DALLAS — A new initiative is now open to Dallas residents who need hospital treatment without the physical hospital.
Parkland Health has launched what they're calling the "Hospital at Home" program. The main goal is to give qualified patients all of the care they need while they stay in their home.
So far, Parkland Health says 17 people are a part of the program and they're working on expanding it for more patients during their 2023 fiscal year.
Those who are approved for the program will get loaned equipment to bring home so health care members can watch vital signs, keep track of medication and assign tasks for the day. Nurses will bring medications to the home and they'll provide infusion therapy if needed.
Other things like X-rays will have to be done at Parkland or one of its other health centers, but they'll offer transportation to and from those appointments.
Physicians and physical or occupational therapists can also make house calls, depending on the patient's situation.
According to Parkland Health, there are programs similar to Hospital at Home at over 200 hospitals across the country. They also say these programs help to lower things like costs, emergency room use, and hospital readmission all while boosting patient satisfaction, nutrition intake and quality of life.
“All the care that a patient would receive in the hospital they receive at home,” said Monal Shah, MD, Executive Sponsor of Parkland’s Hospital at Home program, Senior Vice President and Associate Chief Medical Officer. “The only thing missing is the four walls of the hospital.”
Parkland Health will be taking donations on IStandforParkland.org to contribute to their Hospital at Home program.