A hospital at home (HaH) scheme is a system that provides acute care in the home. Patients are cared for to a standard that would otherwise require hospitalisation. This level of community care is quite distinct from the existing broad spectrum of community services, for example, for patients with chronic conditions and those requiring long-term support. HaH schemes have well defined admission and discharge criteria and chronically ill patients may be discharged to community services.

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To prevent hospital admission (Bushby 1995)

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To promote the early discharge of patients from hospital to their own home (Byers and Parker 1992)

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To provide the level of care experienced by acutely ill patients for chronic or terminally ill patients who would otherwise require hospitalisation (Lefebvre 1992).

Schemes may focus on one or a combination of these functions.