Hospital in the Home (HITH) You are here:HomeHealth ProfessionalsGP LiaisonCommunity and Home ServicesHospital in the Home (HITH) What we do St Vincent’s Hospital in the Home is a medically led, bed-substitution and emergency department diversion service that enables patients to receive acute, hospital-level care outside the traditional hospital setting. Care can be delivered in the comfort of a patient’s home, workplace, place of study, clinic setting, or alternative accommodation (e.g. hotel). The service also provides care at The Cottage, a five-bed supported accommodation option for patients experiencing homelessness who require a safe environment for ongoing treatment. Patients remain admitted to St Vincent’s Hospital as inpatients under the care of the Hospital in the Home team. This model minimises the need for prolonged hospital stays while maintaining high-quality, safe acute care. Services we provide Our HITH team offers a broad range of services to support acute care needs at home, including but not limited to: Intravenous antibiotics for the treatment of infections Acute wound care, including VAC dressings and complex wound management Anticoagulation therapy and medication management Specialised treatments for conditions such as heart failure, including intravenous diuresis Pre- and post-operative care We also welcome discussion regarding patients with other acute care needs on a case-by-case basis. Team members Our service consists of a multidisciplinary team, with various disciplines being involved depending on patient needs. Who we care for Our service is available to St Vincent’s Hospital patients with acute care needs that can be safely managed outside the hospital, as determined by the treating medical team in collaboration with HITH. We care for patients across metropolitan Melbourne and, where appropriate, can arrange outsourced nursing support for those living outside our immediate service area. What to expect Once admitted to HITH, you can expect: Regular contact or visits based on your clinical need (usually at least once daily or up to twice a day) Provision of all necessary equipment and medications required for your treatment at home. Access to experienced nursing support for advice or concerns, including after hours (Oncall service available after hours) Scheduled home visits with advance notice of approximate arrival times. Patient Responsibilities As a HITH patient, we ask you to: Ensure availability for visits, telehealth or phone calls Provide a safe, smoke-free environment for home care Attend scheduled medical reviews and follow up with hospital visits as needed Not visit your GP while enrolled in HITH, as your care is managed by the HITH team. We will inform your GP upon your discharge from the program. Referral process External referrals can be made by your GP in discussion with our HITH consultant on call via switch on Tel (03) 9231 2211. Internal SVHM referrals for patients currently admitted to SVHM are made and managed via the Electronic Patient Journey Board Contact details For clinical enquiries not related to a referral, please contact the HITH nursing leadership team on Tel: 0458 857 446 (8:00am - 5:00pm)