Hospital Care at Home

Hospital Care at Home? Here's What Families Need to Know About SKH@Home

It counts as a full hospital admission, yet you sleep in your own bed. Learn how the SKH@Home model works, whether subsidies apply, and who is eligible.

When Mdm T, a spirited 100-year-old matriarch, developed fever and delirium, her family found themselves at a crossroads. They wanted the best possible medical care for her, but knew that for a centenarian, environment plays a huge role in healing.

Worried that a hospital stay might distress her, they needed a solution that could treat her acute condition while keeping her spirits high and mind clear. It was a challenging decision that opened the door to a new possibility.

The Ward Isn’t Always the Answer

Mdm T’s family had rightful concerns. For an older person, the sudden environmental changes in hospitals with bright lights and constant activity, can cause disrupted sleep and trigger delirium.

It could lead to bigger problems like refusing food or losing the ability to move around, turning a short stay into a prolonged one with increased infection risks.

The Home Advantage

Fortunately, the mindset is shifting. We realise that the "best possible" care for frail seniors often happens right where they feel safest: at home.

Launched in 2024, SKH@Home is a relatively new inpatient care model in Singapore, though it has been established globally for more than 20 years. It provides an alternative way for suitable patients to receive hospital-level treatment in the comfort of their own homes, instead of a hospital ward. Research has shown that treating patients at home delivers clinical outcomes as good as a traditional hospital stay.

Older patients treated at home are way less likely to get confused because they are surrounded by familiar faces and personal belongings. That familiarity keeps them eating, moving, and recovering faster.

How Mdm T Benefitted from SKH@Home

For Mdm T, whose family chose SKH@Home, this meant resting comfortably in her own bed at home rather than a hospital bed. The setup was seamless. She received intravenous antibiotics, supplemental oxygen, and careful monitoring – just as she would have in a hospital ward.

Three days later, Mdm T’s condition improved significantly and her confusion was resolved. She remains the spirited matriarch her family adores.

As the care team treated Mdm T in her home, they partnered with her family to arrange community rehabilitation and provided practical advice on home safety modifications to prevent future falls. The family felt supported in every aspect of her care.

Bringing the Hospital Monitor to Your Bedside

Despite the clear benefits illustrated by Mdm T's recovery, one of the major concerns for most families is safety.

“Can they really monitor my mother properly if she’s at home and not in a hospital ward?”

This is a common question families ask when offered SKH@Home. The idea of hospital care at home may be unsettling to some, with concerns over medical emergencies and lack of immediate help. The answer lies in the programme's 24/7 safety net.

SKH@Home is not a “manage-it-yourself” situation; it is a fully supported medical service.

• Round-the-Clock Access: The care team is accessible 24/7. During office hours, staff answer calls directly, and after hours, an on-call doctor is available to assess any situation immediately.
• Daily Medical Reviews: A multidisciplinary team, comprising doctors, nurses, allied health professionals like physiotherapists and occupational therapists, and pharmacists, conducts daily reviews of the patient's progress and check-ins through teleconsultations and/or home visits.
• Real-time Data: Families are equipped with easy-to-use remote monitoring devices for blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature. These devices allow the medical team to monitor the patient’s condition in real time and tailor treatment accordingly.

Family Can Focus on Being Family

Another common misconception is the fear of being burdened with medical care. Often, caregivers might ask, "Will my family have to handle the clinical care too?". They think they need to learn how to change intravenous (IVs) drips or dress complex wounds.

This is not the case. SKH@Home is a partnership, not a handover of medical duties. Families are not expected to become nurses.

• The Professionals: The programme provides regular home visits from the multidisciplinary team.
  1. Nurses: Administer treatments (IVs, blood draws, wound care) and provide caregiver training.
  2. Doctors: Conduct daily clinical reviews and make treatment decisions via teleconsultations.
  3. Allied Health Professionals: Provide rehabilitation and mobility support.
  4. Pharmacists: Offer advice on medications.
• The Family: Your role is to provide what medicine cannot: a familiar, comfortable environment and emotional support.

Research from programme pilots notes that caregivers who opted for this model "felt more involved in patient care and were motivated by a sense of duty to enable their loved ones to recover in a familiar environment".

The Bill and the Decision: What You Need to Know

For many Singaporean families, cost is an important consideration. Some may assume that a service bringing doctors and nurses to your doorstep would come at a higher cost.

However, SKH@Home is priced similarly to, or often lower than, a standard hospital ward stay, subject to individual care requirements.

What is Covered under SKH@Home?

Did you know that the Ministry of Health classifies SKH@Home as an official inpatient admission? This means your loved ones are eligible for the same full range of healthcare financing.

As it counts as a hospital stay, you can utilise the full range of Singapore’s healthcare financing framework:

• Government Subsidies: Eligible patients receive up to 80% subsidy (based on means testing), identical to a B2/C class ward.
• MediSave: Fully usable. You can use your loved one's MediSave (or your own) to pay the bill, subject to standard withdrawal limits.
• Insurance: MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans cover this exactly like a hospital stay.
• Safety Nets: MediFund remains available for families facing financial difficulties.
• Pioneer Generation: Pioneers continue to enjoy special subsidies and MediSave top-ups.

Making the Right Choice

SKH carefully assess whether each patient is suitable for SKH@Home care. If the patient is deemed stable enough for safe treatment at home, patient coordinators from the SKH@Home team will help them join the programme and set up the necessary arrangements.

In the event your loved ones are offered, view it as an invitation for better and speedier recovery. It’s a chance to heal, while being surrounded by familiar photos, home-cooked meals, and the family who loves them. As Mdm T’s case has proven, sometimes the best hospital bed is simply the one they sleep in every night.