Hospital in the Home (HITH) "St Vincent's at Home"

Service overview

HITH is a medically-led, bed substitution and emergency department diversion model that delivers acute-level care in a patient’s home, place of work/study or alternative accommodation (e.g. hotel).

HITH specialises in intravenous antibiotics and diuresis; some non-cytotoxic chemotherapy; pre- and post-operative care; complex wound management (including high-risk wounds); COVID therapies and monitoring; peritoneal antibiotics and welcomes discussion for case-by-case patients with other acute care needs.         

Team members

• Nursing
• Medical
• Pharmacist
• Administration
• Allied Health can be accessed as required

Service delivery

• 7 days per week
• Two shifts per day covering 0800-2030
• Up to two visits per day
• Out of hours support via HITH on-call nurse and consultant
• In person (at home and HITH Clinic) and telehealth visits
• Transport support for clinical review

Eligibility criteria

• Patients need to be haemodynamically stable
• Back to baseline oxygen requirements
• Consenting to service and agreeable to return for review in clinic
• Appropriate on home visiting risk assessment
• Would otherwise need to be in ED or acute inpatient ward to receive treatment or assessment
• Geographical coverage is SVHM nursing up to 25-30 km from SVHM and subcontracted to private provider or regional/rural hospital beyond 30km

Referral process

• Internal SVHM referrals are made and managed via the Electronic Patient Journey Board
• External referrals can be made via fax 9231 3848 or email HITHTeam.SVHM@svha.org.au

Contact details

• Reception/administration 92313817
• NUM 0458857446

GPs, please note, as this is an admitted service, HITH will provide all medical care to the patient at home. If patients choose to consult with you whilst under the care of this program, they are not eligible for Medicare rebates for services you provide as they are still considered inpatients of St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.