This information is for patients who receive care from our service Hospital
in the Home. Please contact us if you have a question that is not answered
below.
What is Hospital in the Home?
Hospital in the Home (HITH) is the provision of hospital type health care
to you in your own home, as an alternative to being treated in hospital.
HITH is not compulsory and you can choose to stay in hospital.
What services are provided?
- Nursing
- Physiotherapy
- Pathology (blood and other tests)
Who provides the care?
St. Vincent's Hospital has a home nursing service, St.Vincent's at Home,
that provides care for patients living within 15km of the Hospital.
For patients living further than 15km from St. Vincent's, the Royal
District Nursing Service (RDNS) provides the care, on our behalf.
Pathology services come from St. Vincent's Hospital.
How does the service work?
When you have been referred to HITH, the Liaison Nurse will visit you in
hospital. He/she will answer any questions about your care and explain how
HITH will work for you.
When at home, the HITH Liaison Nurse is responsible for communication
between your hospital doctors and the visiting HITH staff, to help ensure
they all work together. If you need any further medical supplies, visiting
staff can contact the nurse to obtain what you require.
When does the service operate?
Nursing care can be provided up to a maximum of two visits per day, seven
days a week. Physiotherapy and Pathology services are available daily.
If you are concerned about your health at any time whilst you are on the
program you can ring and speak to a nurse. St. Vincent's at Home patients
can phone 9288 3817 from 8am to 5pm on weekdays, or 9288 2211 after hours.
RDNS patients can call the visiting centre number provided by their nurse
from 8am to 5pm on weekdays, or 9379 0577 after hours.
What does the service cost?
Nothing. The cost of the service is covered by us.
Do I need to give my consent? The HITH Liaison Nurse will ask you to sign
a consent form before HITH treatment can commence. Please read this
carefully. Note that the visiting HITH staff will have access to the
information in your St. Vincent's medical history. You will be asked to
store medications and supplies safely. We ask that you agree to return to
the hospital if advised to do so by your visiting nurse or
physiotherapist.
What happens to my HITH record/history?
Before you go home, the Liaison Nurse will make up your HITH record,
which will be kept in your home whilst you are on the program. Take this
record with you to any medical appointments and have it available for all
visiting HITH staff to write in. The record is returned to the HITH Liaison
Nurse by your visiting nurse at the completion of care and returned to the
hospital medical record.
Are my records kept confidential?
Client confidentiality is respected by all staff working with the HITH
program. Patient consent is obtained to allow the sharing of confidential
patient information between care-givers across agencies.
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