Treating patients with serious conditions from the comfort of their own homes could deliver far greater benefits than previously thought, saving the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds while improving care quality and patient satisfaction, according to a major new study.
The most comprehensive evaluation of the ‘Hospital at Home’ model to date has found that patients cared for through West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Virtual Hospital, delivered in partnership with Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, overwhelmingly preferred home‑based care to traditional hospital treatment.
The peer‑reviewed study, published on 8 April in Frontiers in Digital Health, analysed outcomes for 3,000 patients admitted to the Hospital at Home service between April 2023 and April 2024.
The findings demonstrate not only strong clinical and patient experience benefits, but also a compelling economic case for scaling up Virtual Hospital models across the NHS.
The evaluation found that Hospital at Home care significantly reduced the time patients spent receiving acute treatment.
Key findings include:
- Early Supported Discharge patients spent 2.8 fewer days in care on average compared with similar hospital patients
- Hospital at Home care costs £118.49 per bed day, compared with £569 for inpatient hospital care
- Savings of £486 per Early Supported Discharge patient
- Savings of £3,652 per Admission Avoidance patient
Overall, the programme delivered net savings of £1.33 million over 12 months.
Patient experience was a major strength of the Virtual Hospital model.
The study found that 95.8% of patients preferred Virtual Hospital care, and 98.3% of patients said they felt safe while being treated at home.
Researchers said these results underline the value of providing high‑quality acute care in familiar surroundings, particularly for patients who may find hospital stays stressful or disruptive.
Crucially, the study demonstrates the system‑wide benefits of Hospital at Home services.
By reducing length of stay and avoiding unnecessary admissions, widespread adoption of Virtual Hospital models could free up tens of thousands of hospital beds every day, easing pressure on busy acute services and improving patient flow.
The authors said this provides a strong economic and operational case for long‑term investment and expansion.
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals and CLCH established the UK’s first Virtual Hospital during the Covid‑19 pandemic, offering a safe alternative to inpatient care for more than 5,000 patients and saving significant numbers of bed days.
Since then, the programme has evolved to support a growing range of clinical pathways, including:
- Heart failure
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Acute respiratory infections
- General medicine virtual wards
Hospital at Home care allows patients to receive hospital‑level treatment in their own homes using remote monitoring technology, specialist clinical oversight, and direct support for doctors and community teams.
Patients are closely monitored, with rapid escalation available if needed, ensuring care remains safe, effective and responsive.
Niall Keenan, Medicine Divisional Director at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals, commented:
“This evaluation underlines the enormous value, impact and benefit of the Hospital at Home approach has for patients, health providers and the taxpayer.
“Not only does it cut admission times and save millions of pounds, which can be spent on supporting other vital services, but most importantly it is also a huge hit with patients. They prefer it to hospitals and feel safe and well looked after being cared for from home.
“The in-depth analysis demonstrates the benefits of local health and care organisations working together to improve outcomes for patients.”
Image credit: iStock
