Hospital in the Home
Caring for your medical needs at home
Our Hospital in the Home (HITH) service provides care for you in your own home.
What we do
After a stay in hospital, we aim to get you home as early as possible, and provide the care you would otherwise receive in hospital. You remain under the care of the ward or unit you were admitted to and are seen by nurses who deliver your care needs. Frequency of visits will depend on your care needs.
The nurses are in constant communication with your medical team about your progress and needs. You will be seen by a doctor once a week at a minimum.
We provide a range of services, including, but not limited to:
- intravenous antibiotics for infections
- acute wound care, such as burns and VAC dressings
- managing medication for blood thinning (anti-coagulation)
- cancer care
- treatment of chest infections, such as exacerbation of cystic fibrosis
- other specialised treatments, such as those for heart failure
- antibiotics for peritoneal dialysis patients
Who we care for
We care for any Alfred Health patients who have acute care requirements who can be managed at home.
We look after people across Victoria, and outsource nursing care if you live outside of metropolitan Melbourne.
We accept referrals for patients across all three Alfred Health campuses.
What to expect
- depending on your care needs, you will be seen or called once per day, at a minimum
- you can contact an experienced nurse 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week if you run into any problems, or if are feeling unwell
- we provide all of the equipment and medications required during your HITH stay
- we always plan our home visits ahead of time and aim to provide a rough estimate on when we will be there. We will notify you if we are running late due to unforeseen circumstances
- you must ensure that you are home for your planned visits. You also need to ensure that you are contactable at other times
- if your health deteriorates at home, a HITH clinician can review you in your home, or in the HITH clinic at the Alfred. If required, we can facilitate an admission into the hospital or presentation to Emergency
Commonly asked questions
Do I have to be at home all day?
No, we will provide a time range for when we anticipate getting to your house. If we're running late or need to change the time, we will contact you in advance.
How to access this service
No external referrals accepted
You can only access this service when you are staying in hospital or if you have been referred by an Alfred Health clinician.