How FirstHealth is improving outcomes with observation at home

The strategy has had a big impact on patient access, bed capacity, and heart failure and all-cause readmissions – not to mention appreciation of patients and family thankful to receive care safely at home instead of having to be admitted to the hospital.

Like most health systems across the United States, Pinehurst, North Carolina-based FirstHealth of the Carolinas has challenges with bed capacity and is always working on new and innovative ways to increase it in a safe and financially responsible way.

This has been done through a few different venues. FirstHealth's extended care unit at its Richmond campus, among others, are brick-and-mortar solutions, whereas the observation at home program helps with capacity challenges, but virtually.

OAH offered to help increase bed capacity across the health system by being able to discharge stable patients who could be managed at home via the program and would otherwise need to have stayed in the hospital if taken care of by traditional medicine.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMPLETE STORY