BALTIMORE—MedStar Health has expanded its partnership with DispatchHealth, a leading provider of acute care in the home, to each of its four Baltimore hospitals, ensuring the continuity of safe, high-quality care for patients discharged from inpatient units or emergency departments at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, MedStar Good Samaritan, MedStar Harbor and MedStar Union Memorial Hospitals. The program will continue to focus on improving care transitions, especially for those patients at higher risk for hospital readmission.
The unique partnership was first announced in April when MedStar Health began referring patients discharged from MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., to DispatchHealth. Follow-up care is based on clinical, geographic and insurance criteria.
“Patients are comforted to know that someone will come to their home when they don’t medically need to remain in the hospital, but may still need care to bridge the gap between discharge and their next physician visit,” said Ethan Booker, MD, chief medical officer for telehealth at MedStar Health and a leader of the MedStar Institute for Innovation. “MedStar Health and DispatchHealth collaborate to provide acute care in a patient’s own home, and this expanding service enables a seamless, monitored transition. We are proud to have delivered more than 700 patient visits across Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.”
DispatchHealth medical professionals arrive for the scheduled visit in the Baltimore area in a co-branded MedStar Health vehicle with the equipment necessary to provide care specific to each patient. Home visits are scheduled by DispatchHealth and typically take place within 72 hours of discharge from the hospital or the emergency department. DispatchHealth employs many of the same clinicians patients would see in a hospital, including medical technicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and emergency medicine doctors who support all visits remotely, if needed. They send all clinical documentation securely to the patient’s care teams at MedStar Health.
“It’s a privilege to deepen our collaboration with MedStar Health and bring high-acuity, in-home care to Baltimore, which is a new market for us,” said Dr. Phil Mitchell, chief medical officer for DispatchHealth. “Together, we’ll help streamline care between the hospital and home for the patient, enhance their experience of care, improve health outcomes, and reduce costs every step of the way.”
A wide range of medical treatments can be provided, including point-of-care labs (e.g., metabolic panels) with immediate results, IV fluids and medications, EKGs, and more. Conditions like urinary tract infections, pneumonia, dehydration, COPD exacerbations, and more can be treated from the comfort of the patient’s home. A typical visit includes comprehensive assessments, symptom management, further care coordination, and education for patients and caregivers to help better understand and follow their care plan. Services are offered daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Baltimore and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Washington, D.C., which includes weekend and holiday hours.
For more information on DispatchHealth services referred by MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, MedStar Good Samaritan, MedStar Harbor, or MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, visit MedStar Health’s website: https://www.medstarhealth.org/services/acute-care-at-home.
SOURCE: MedStar Health