More Patients in Singapore Get Hospital Care at Home

Mr. Jiang Tong Kai is back home after being in the hospital for swelling, constipation, and diabetes.

The 82-year-old is still an inpatient but gets hospital care at home.

Hospital staff taught his wife how to care for him at home. Healthcare workers visit and charity workers help daily.

The old couple is happy because they don't have to travel to the hospital. They used to spend long days there.

This is possible because of the Mobile Inpatient Care @ Home program, which lets patients get treatment at home.

The Ministry of Health started this program after a pilot in 2022. Now, all government hospitals offer it, except one.

This will help many patients get care at home and free up hospital beds for those who need them more.

About 152 patients have used this program so far. Another 150 will get care by the end of the year.

At first, patients needed a caregiver at home. But this was hard for old people with little family help.

A healthcare provider partnered with a charity to give more support to patients at home.

The charity's staff visits patients daily to check their health, give medicine, and help with other needs.

The staff looks at what care each patient needs and tells the care team about it.

Hospital doctors and nurses still oversee care through home visits and phone calls.

Patients can be happier and recover better at home with loved ones, said a doctor.

The program is free now, but the charity might start a paid version and expand to other areas.

Another plan is to bring specialist care to nursing homes.

Many old people go to the hospital, and some of these visits can be avoided, said a doctor.

Nursing home residents go to the hospital more often than other old people, so we need to improve care there.

A hospital started a program at a nursing home where a team of healthcare workers helped the staff.

The team checked the residents' health and supported the nursing home staff.

After a year, hospital visits decreased, and most residents didn't need to go to the hospital.

Fewer hospital trips help residents have more time for activities, said a nurse.

Having specialist help at the nursing home makes the staff more confident in caring for residents.

The hospital wants to expand this program to more nursing homes and make care more sustainable.

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