An emerging form of health care that enables patients to receive hospital-level services at home is now available to many more New Jersey residents, thanks to a law enacted this week.
Known as Hospital at Home, this care model is now available to both Medicaid participants and people with private, commercial health insurance, when medically appropriate.
Previously, Hospital at Home was only available to those enrolled in Medicare and some Medicare Advantage programs, through a federal waiver. The new state law, resulting from the Hospital at Home Act, allows this expansion and invites insurers and health systems to work together toward implementation.
Virtua Health is among the nation’s earliest and New Jersey’s largest providers of Hospital at Home, which is available through its five South Jersey hospitals in Burlington and Camden counties. Virtua’s leaders have witnessed its many benefits and advocated for the expansion and development of this emerging care model.
“We are excited to see Hospital at Home expand in New Jersey through this legislation, and we believe our state can serve as a template for the rest of the country,” Michael Capriotti, senior vice president of integration and strategic operations for Virtua Health, said. “It is important that we continually innovate to create the best possible experiences and outcomes for our patients.”
Hospital at Home enables eligible patients to heal from the comfort of their home while receiving comprehensive, hospital-level care — including both in-person and remote visits with health care providers, and devices to help monitor patients’ health remotely.
Such programs can bring many benefits, including fewer hospital readmissions and hospital-acquired infections, improved patient mobility, higher patient satisfaction, lower costs and shorter hospital stays.
“As an early adopter, Virtua Health has one of the largest and most established Hospital at Home programs in the country,” John Matsinger, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Virtua Health, said. “Our project leaders and care providers are often tapped for their expertise and insights — and we strive to advance the evolution of this model of care.”
Marlton-based Virtua Health, South Jersey’s largest health system, launched its Hospital at Home program exactly two years ago, in January 2022 — largely to address the strain caused by the Omicron surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program has since expanded to all five Virtua hospitals and many other conditions. To date, Virtua’s Hospital at Home has enrolled more than 900 patients representing 60-plus distinct medical conditions, including pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, urinary tract infection and congestive heart failure.
