According to a trust, a hospital-at-home service was "making a big difference" for patients and the NHS.
According to the Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust, it is collaborating with Doccla, a provider of "virtual wards," to "provide hospital level care in patients' homes.".
Technology is given to patients so they can be watched over at home.
Elizabeth Kendrick, the trust's medical director, claimed that the service reduced the need for hospital admissions and allowed for earlier discharge.
Patients can use the equipment provided by Doccla to record their observations, such as their blood pressure, which can then be forwarded to a medical expert.
Patients are also asked to complete questionnaires, and if anything in the questionnaire response or an observation reading raises a "red flag," the patient may be contacted.
The service, according to Ms. Kendrick, was "really great" because "patients do better at home.".
She exclaimed, "The patient feedback is incredible.".
"People prefer to be at home, where they can be surrounded by their personal belongings, consume their own food, and rest in their own beds. ".
Six community teams from the service are also available to visit patients in their homes if a "red flag" is raised by the system.
The service currently has 90 patients, according to Ms. Kendrick, "that would otherwise be in the hospital.".
Hospitals are appropriate for some people, but they can quickly de-condition for others, she said.
In addition to saving money, caring for a patient at home eliminates the need to send a nurse to check on the patient's observations. ".
Brian Smith experienced a cardiac arrest at home in November and was subsequently admitted to the Lister Hospital in Stevenage.
The 80-year-old said he was incredibly anxious to go home after spending two weeks in the hospital.
He and his wife Marion Smith received equipment for oxygen at home as well as a tablet computer to log their findings.
Every day they called, and, according to Mrs. Smith, "I just never felt alone; I was really supported.
"It was scary when he was in the hospital because I didn't know what was happening.
"While he was in the hospital, something was slightly messing with his mind, and he was having hallucinations; he would've gone crazy in there; he doesn't like hospitals.
"When he got home, he was himself again. ".
Mrs. Smith, who is 78 years old, claimed that it was simple and "anybody could do it" to take her husband's observations and relay them to the team.
Going up and down the stairs to complete them was the most difficult part, she claimed.
"However, I'm much fitter now. ".
According to Doccla's founder, Martin Ratz, the NHS was able to save £3 for every £1 spent on the service.
He claimed he founded the business after "unexpectedly" having a heart attack when he was a young man.
One of the revelations, he said, was that while I was in the hospital, I was constantly monitored, but after I left, there was zero monitoring.
However, we can enable monitoring wherever you are thanks to modern technology. ".
Mr. Ratz acknowledged that not everyone would find the service useful.
He explained, "This is for those patients who can be treated at home and don't need to be in the hospital.".
"We used reputable, certified technology, and patients were cared for by specialists. ".
According to Mr. Ratz, the system will establish "a standard mode of care" for the following generation.
