A "virtual wards" program in Hull allows elderly patients to receive medical care in the comfort of their own homes.
The Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre is conducting the trial, which consists of in-person and video consultations with medical professionals.
GPs and paramedics refer people to the program. The goal is to decrease A&E visits.
The virtual ward can accommodate up to 10 patients per day, and preliminary data indicates that treatment costs have been cut in half.
Geriatric consultant Dr. Libby Lloyd stated that avoiding hospitalization shortens the amount of time needed for rehabilitation following treatment.
Unfortunately, going to the hospital carries some risks, she said.
You run a higher risk of developing delirium if your environment changes, such as if you go to the hospital where there is a lot of noise, everything is unfamiliar, and your family isn't present.
"Because it is comfortable and you are familiar with it, you are less likely to fall when you are in your own environment. ".
Every day, consultants, GPs, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals participate in a video conference to conduct a virtual ward round.
The program has been running for ten weeks, and it's hoped that the service will be expanded to let nurses give oxygen and intravenous antibiotics at home.
The virtual ward program was praised by John Kendall, 76, who has health issues with his heart, liver, and kidneys.
You don't get that in the hospital, he said, "but you get someone in every day to check everything.".
"I don't want to pass away in a hospital, which may sound strange. With all my possessions and photos around me, I'd prefer to pass away at home.
. "
