The 500-bed hospital that isn't there: the Victorian Department of Health review of the Hospital in the Home program.

The Victorian Department of Health reviewed its Hospital in the Home (HIH) program in 2009, for the first time in a decade. Annual reimbursements to all Victorian hospitals for HIH care had reached $110 million. Nearly all Victorian hospitals have an HIH program. Collectively, these units recorded 32,462 inpatient admissions in 2008-09, representing 2.5% of all inpatient admissions, 5.3% of multiday admissions and 5% of all bed-days in Victoria. If HIH were a single entity, it would be a 500-bed hospital. Treatment of many patients with acute community- and hospital-acquired infections or venous thromboembolism has moved into HIH. There is still capacity for growth in clinical conditions that can be appropriately managed at home. The review found evidence of gaming by hospitals through deliberate blurring of boundaries between acute HIH care and postacute care. The Victorian HIH program is a remarkable success that has significantly expanded the overall capacity of the hospital system, with lower capital resources. It suggests HIH with access to equivalent hospital remuneration is necessary for a successful HIH policy. Hospitals should invest in HIH medical leadership and supervision to expand their HIH services, including teaching. HIH is a challenge to the traditional vision of a hospital. Greater community awareness of HIH could assist in its continued growth.