Tampa General launches hospital-at-home program

TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa General Hospital patients now have a new option for care that combines the expertise of a world-class facility with the comfort of their own home. Tampa General Hospital (TGH)’s Hospital at Home program combines expert care and innovative technology with a focus on the needs of the patient. TGH at Home gives eligible patients an opportunity to stay home, while receiving best-in-class clinical hospital care from healthcare providers, including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and certified nurse assistants.

Based on the same standards used inside the hospital, patients receive daily in-home visits from healthcare providers, virtual visits and around-the-clock remote patient monitoring.

“TGH at Home is a true model of innovation – integrating high-tech applications such as remote patient monitoring and telehealth visits with in-person care by trained healthcare providers,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. “We can give patients what they really want – world-class care in their own environment. In addition to enhancing the patient experience, Hospital at Home care has been shown to improve quality and service.”

To be enrolled in TGH at Home, patients must be seen in the emergency department or admitted to the hospital so they can be evaluated and transferred to the TGH at Home program (pending patient consent). Patients must meet certain criteria to be safely cared for at home.

During their in-home care treatment, patients receive at least two in-person visits per day by a dedicated member of the TGH at Home clinical team.

In addition to in-person care, TGH is leveraging innovative technology to provide optimal care outside of the hospital. TGH is excited to partner with the Israel-based Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) platform Biobeat to provide each patient with a wireless device that continuously transmits vital signs.

The device serves as a blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter and thermometer, all in one. In addition to continuous patient monitoring, TGH is proud to work with U.S.-based telehealth provider TytoCare to offer TGH Virtual Health Kit powered by TytoCare. This virtual health platform provides patients with a cellular-enabled tablet to transfer information on a patient’s vital signs and can also be used to conduct telehealth visits with providers. The equipment is provided at no additional cost and is continually monitored by the care team.

Using this technology, the TGH at Home care team of doctors and nurses stay in close contact with each patient to monitor their condition and make any treatment changes needed for an optimum recovery. Patients have around-the-clock access to healthcare professionals, should they have a question or concern.

So that the care team can respond in a timely manner, patients must live within a 30-minute drive from Tampa General. In the unlikely event of an emergency, the care team will facilitate transport to the hospital or other emergency care as needed.

Initially, TGH at Home will be limited to patients with certain conditions that include:

• Congestive heart failure (CHF)
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Cellulitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Diabetes

Advantages for patients include:

• Patient-centric care
• Privacy of being at home
• Comfort of family, friends and pets
• Reduced risk of hospital-acquired infections
• Equivalent or better outcomes when compared with traditional hospital care

“TGH at Home is all about improving access to care and the patient experience,” said Dr. Peggy Duggan (pictured), executive vice president and chief medical officer at Tampa General. “Patients are thoroughly evaluated to determine if their medical condition makes them a candidate for TGH at Home. They receive elements of world-class hospital care in their home with supportive nursing care and, most importantly, their family. We know that patients have a better recovery when surrounded by what is familiar to them.”

According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, a systematic review of nine studies found that individuals receiving Hospital at Home care had a 26% lower risk of readmission to the hospital and a lower risk for long-term care admission than traditionally hospitalized patients. Patients who received Hospital at Home care also had lower depression and anxiety scores than patients receiving in-hospital care.

“TGH at Home is the future of medicine happening now, thanks to innovations in technology and advancing care models,” said Dr. Peter Chang, vice president of healthcare design, Tampa General. “These programs are gaining traction around the country and the benefits are tangible: An improved patient experience, shorter hospital stay, reduced risk of hospital readmission and more cost-efficient care.”

About Tampa General Hospital
Tampa General Hospital – a 1,041-bed, not-for-profit, academic medical center – is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region’s only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-22 Best Hospitals, and one of the top four hospitals in Florida, with five specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list.