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The INTEGRIS Health @ Home program recently reached a significant milestone. The program, which officially launched Jan. 31, just discharged its 50th patient. “This is worthy of celebration,” says System Director Lisa Rother. “We are growing faster than expected, providing a much needed and appreciated service offering high quality, safe hospital care within our patient’s home. We hit our current patient capacity of 10 several times during this past month, demonstrating the need to expand the program, increasing access to this care option. We are thrilled to provide this new care model for our patients and look forward to offering it to countless Oklahomans in the future.”

INTEGRIS Health @ Home provides hospital-level care to patients in the comfort and convenience of their own homes. Eligible patients typically suffer from such common conditions as chronic heart failure, respiratory ailments, diabetes complications, infections like pneumonia, as well as COVID-19.

Eighty-nine-year-old Edward Lamb of Yukon contracted the COVID virus during the height of the latest surge. He suffered from extreme weakness, fatigue, cough, fever, and body aches. He was hospitalized because of his age, a pre-existing COPD diagnosis and concern that he was developing pneumonia. “Statistics say that people of my dad’s age and health challenges may not survive COVID-19, so of course, I was concerned when I first learned he had contracted this virus,” reveals Lianne Growe, Lamb’s daughter. “Within a few days of hospitalization, Dad was receiving six liters of high flow oxygen. His energy was dwindling as was his appetite. He was losing weight and was increasingly uncomfortable.”

“I was in the ER for five of the seven hospital days because there were no rooms available for me upstairs. I was moved back and forth from ER room to ER room because my condition kept changing. I slept on a gurney for most of my time in the ER which meant I really did not sleep well at all. I didn’t like the food, so I ate very little while there,” explains Lamb. “Don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful to have had such excellent care from the nurses and staff at the hospital, however, I began to suffer from depression, just sitting in a lonely room, and sleep deprivation due to the constant need to take my vitals. I just wanted to be at home.”

Growe agrees, “Hospitals offer wonderful services, but the unfamiliar surroundings, lack of sleep, isolation from family and friends and the change of diet and routine can quickly begin to wear a person out and make them homesick.”

Lamb’s primary care physician referred him to the INTEGRIS Health @ Home program. He was found to be a suitable candidate and was instantly enrolled. His care was transferred from the hospital to his own home. “I was excited to know it was an available option. It was hard to fully comprehend what the program really had to offer because it sounded almost too good to be true,” he admits. 

Through the program patients receive a remote patient monitoring kit and other home health equipment as needed for their particular diagnoses. Standard equipment includes a blood pressure monitor, pulse oximeter, cellular-enabled digital tablet and a digital scale. Other devices can be added based on the patient’s needs. All the devices connect to a tablet through Bluetooth and transmit vital signs to a remote monitoring center. The command center as it is called, is monitored 24/7 by a team of INTEGRIS Health physicians and nurses who respond immediately to a patient’s medical needs via video or telephone. Daily in-home visits by community paramedics, nurses and nurse practitioners and other health care professionals are also part of the treatment plan. IV therapies, oxygen treatments, lab tests, mobile imaging like x-rays and ultrasound, and IV therapies are all performed in the home. Other services include skilled nursing, medications, infusions, behavioral health, and rehabilitation.

“They brought everything to my home in a timely manner, taught me how to use it, and not only explained my needed care to me, but also to my family,” says Lamb. “They responded patiently and cheerfully to all of our questions and requests.”

Harlean Lamb, Edward’s wife, says she was pleasantly surprised by the program as well. “I thought it would be much more invasive than it turned out to be. I pictured them turning my home into a hospital room, but it was nothing like that. Everyone was so friendly, helpful and pleasant. We got such individualized care. They really made us feel special.”

“As a caregiver to my parents, this program made bringing Dad home from the hospital so much easier. We knew his health complications and needs were beyond our ability to adequately care for him at the time, so I saw this as a blessing to get my dad home and offer him the continued hospital care he was needing,” states Growe. “I will forever be grateful to all who worked so hard to make him comfortable, happy and healthy.”

Lamb has since discharged from the INTEGRIS Health @ Home program but says he would recommend it to anyone who qualifies. “I feel much better than when I entered the program. Healthwise, I have a way to go, but feel this program set me on a path to be able to experience success.”

Eligible patients must meet inpatient admission criteria, live within a 30-mile radius of the admitting hospital and have the clinical and social stability to receive care at home. INTEGRIS Health @ Home is offered to patients admitted to INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center and INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Centers but will be expanding to INTEGRIS Canadian Valley Hospital and INTEGRIS Health Edmond in late spring. At this time, access to this care model is limited to patients with Medicare, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage health plans who accept the CMS waiver. However, we are in active discussions with commercial insurers to include on their health plans