The Hospital-at-Home Movement Is Gaining Attention and Growing

Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

There was a time when most illnesses were treated at home, and the family physician made house calls. Caregivers were always family members, and no one, unless they lapsed into a coma, ever went to a hospital for care. Of course, that was also a time when most people didn’t have any medical insurance, and a house call was paid with a single bill slipped into the physician’s hand as he left. Female physicians were as common as hen’s teeth. A very good book on the rise of the American hospital system is available.

Since then, times have changed dramatically with regard to illness and how it is treated. Trips to the ER or hospital stays have become more common, and physicians no longer make house calls unless you have a concierge care contract. Membership fees and monthly costs can range from $1,200 to $10,000 a year.

But, as with everything, a review of the economics, the need, the shortages of staffing, and the income drain on space is bringing about a new look at homecare, and it’s being seen in a more favorable light. Of course, home care provided by families around the world is more standard than unusual.

Finance and the involvement of corporations seeking new profit streams now see a potential market here, not by families but by corporate employees. “The global home healthcare market…