Gerald Buford went to the Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento emergency room after spending a “painful night at home with a high temperature and chills that had my teeth chattering.”

The 71-year-old retired construction worker from Elk Grove was diagnosed with a kidney infection, then admitted to the hospital for further treatment.

The next morning Buford got a visit from hospital-based specialist Adel Agaiby, MD, and other members of his care team.

“They told me Kaiser had a new program that would allow me to get care at home,” recalled Buford. “Well, I didn’t have to hear anything more after that!”

Buford became the first Kaiser Permanente member in Sacramento County to enroll in the Advanced Care at Home program, which allows patients to get care at home in familiar surroundings. The program, which launched Oct. 7, is also available to qualifying members in Contra Costa, Alameda, Napa, Solano, and Santa Clara counties.

Innovation offers patients an option

With Advanced Care at Home, nurse practitioners, nurses, and other members of the care team make scheduled or as-needed visits to patients’ homes. They can perform a variety of tests, including blood tests, X-rays, EKGs, and ultrasounds.

A physician sees the patient at least once a day or as often as needed.

“Gerald was an ideal candidate because he was motivated to return to his own home where he could continue receiving an advanced level of care,” Dr. Agaiby said. “He wasn’t too sick to stay in the hospital, but he did need close follow-up, continuous monitoring, and intravenous antibiotics — all of which our team is able to provide safely and effectively at home.”

A high quality of care and patient experiences that exceed expectations are hallmarks of the program, said Vance Purcell, clinical director for Advanced Care at Home in Northern California.

“In patient surveys, we consistently score better than patients who stay in the hospital because they are in the familiar surroundings of their own homes,” said Purcell.  “When we’re able to provide for their plan of care in the home, it decreases instances of delirium, the potential for hospital acquired infections, and many other negative outcomes.”

Purcell added that care at home teams work around patients’ schedules far more than is possible in the hospital setting, which allows to get more rest for their recovery.

In addition to being at home with family during care, patients can be with their furry loved ones. Pets can improve physical and mental health, he said.

Members may qualify for the program if they have heart failure, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, diverticulitis, or pneumonia, among other conditions. Those likely to need surgery at a moment’s notice are not good candidates.

Setting up for success at home

When Buford left the emergency room and was set up at home, he received several pieces of equipment to monitor his health. Those included a wireless touchscreen tablet allowing access to nurses and physicians by video, a Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure cuff, pulse and blood oxygen meter, and a digital scale. He also received a device to notify caregivers in the event of an emergency.

On average, patients in the program interact with their registered nurse 10 times a day by video, allowing nurses to ensure proper administration of all medications, monitor progress, and collaborate with the in-home clinical providers.

A nurse visited Buford at home each day during his 4 days in the program. The nurse checked his vitals, drew blood for testing, administered his medications, and completed a comprehensive assessment.

A ‘fabulous’ experience

“I had everything I needed for my care,” Buford said. “And it was 1000% better being at home where I could eat my own food, sleep in my own bed, and use my own bathroom. I was getting the care I needed, and I felt really safe. I thought it was fabulous.”

Advanced Care at Home is available to Kaiser Permanente members in Southern California, Northern California, Colorado, Georgia, the Mid-Atlantic States, Oregon, and Washington. The program varies by region, and not all members are eligible.

For more information, please visit Kaiser Permanente’s Advanced Care at Home program.