Arlesheim, Switzerland. A project of the Arlesheim Clinic brings acute healthcare to the home.
Being ill is not only physically stressful for those affected, but an associated hospital stay also presents them with emotional challenges. Patients have to temporarily give up their familiar surroundings and the associated autonomy and freedom of choice, and have to cope with the frequently changing hospital staff and externally imposed procedures. The option of receiving equivalent medical care at home is therefore a considerable relief for many people, the benefit of which should not be underestimated in the healing process. While medical care at home is already an established part of the healthcare system in countries such as Norway, Japan, and Australia, there are still no comparable approaches in most other countries.
The anthroposophical clinic in Arlesheim is doing pioneering work in Switzerland with its “Hospital at Home” pilot project, which was launched at the beginning of 2023. In collaboration with the canton of Baselland, an insurance provider, and the Hospitales Association, the clinic has developed a decentralized care model for acutely ill patients. An interdisciplinary internal medicine treatment team treats and cares for patients in a way that is equivalent to an inpatient hospital stay at home. The “Hospital at Home” medical and nursing team is available 24/7 and combines personal care with telemedical monitoring if required. The service is covered by basic insurance. So far, feedback from patients and their relatives has been consistently positive. Complications such as hospital-acquired infections have also occurred much less frequently. The Swiss Hospital at Home Society received the Victor Award from the Swiss healthcare system for its initiative. Baselland Cantonal Hospital is also planning to establish its own “Hospital at Home” service based on the Arlesheim model.
Sources Klinik Arlesheim and Software AG Foundation
Translation Charles Cross
Picture Travis Fish
