Prince of Wales Hospital celebrates years of providing care at home

Prince of Wales Hospital has celebrated the 30-year anniversary of its Hospital in the Home program, a pioneering model of care that has transformed delivery of hospital services across NSW.

Established in 1989 as the Post Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Service, the program emerged from a visionary collaboration between, Dr John Ward, Geriatric Medicine and Professor Ron Huckstep, Orthopaedic Surgery.

Hospital in the Home provided an innovative new approach to health care, delivering co-managed care between geriatricians and orthopaedic specialists, with rehabilitation delivered in patients’ homes.

Dr Martin Mackertich, Acting General Manager, Prince of Wales Hospital, said the hospital continues be a leader within the Hospital in the Home space across NSW.

“The Prince of Wales community is proud of its Hospital in the Home legacy. This significant milestone and the program’s continued expansion is proof that this model of care is making a real difference and adapting to the modern healthcare needs of our community,” said Dr Mackertich.Over the years, Hospital in the Home expanded well beyond orthopaedics to include patients with pulmonary, medical, and other complex needs, reshaping what care outside hospital walls can deliver and achieve.

In 1995, the program launched one of the first Hospital in the Home trials in Australia, showing that home-based care could improve outcomes, and deliver cost savings and higher patient satisfaction. The research indicated that there was a 19% reduction in mortality and 25% fewer readmissions within the program at Prince of Wales Hospital.

Professor Gideon Caplan, Director of Geriatric Medicine and Post Acute Care Services at Prince of Wales Hospital, said the program has been transformative.

“This innovative approach has improved patient care, reduced hospital stays and brought health care right into people’s homes. The dedication and forward-thinking of everyone involved has made a real difference in how we deliver health services across the state,” said Professor Caplan.

Through the National Demonstration Hospitals Program, the Hospital in the Home model of care has been adopted nationally, with Prince of Wales Hospital mentoring 17 hospitals and supporting rural services throughout NSW Health.