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July 26, 2026BMC Health Services ResearchOpen Access

Safety and implementation of a regional hospital-at-home model: a retrospective observational study from Denmark

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Why the study?

What are the short-term safety outcomes and care pathways of a regional hospital-at-home model in a clinically diverse patient population?

Population

2,511 patients with substantial comorbidity and a broad, clinically diverse population, median age 72 years.

Design

Cohort

Follow-up

30 days

Key result

A regional hospital-at-home model demonstrated stable unplanned hospital contacts (27.0-31.1%), declining 30-day readmissions (11.0% to 7.0%), and high 30-day survival (91.6-92.4%).

Authors

MHMai‐Britt Hägi‐PedersenSBStig Nikolaj BlombergOHOle Mazur Hendriksen

Discussion

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Overview

Supports scalable regional hospital-at-home with stable safety metrics in complex patients; leaves open need for controlled trials versus inpatient care.

Key Points

  • The aim was to describe patient population characteristics and evaluate short-term safety outcomes of a hospital-at-home model.
  • Retrospective observational study using registry-based data from 2,511 patients.
  • Assessment of unplanned hospital contacts, readmissions, and survival rates over time.
  • Exploration of outcome variations by diagnosis and referral source.
  • Median length of stay increased from 5.1 days in 2022 to 7.3 days in 2024.
  • 30-day readmission rates decreased from 11.0% to 7.0% during the study period.
  • Thirty-day survival rates remained high, ranging from 91.6% to 92.4%.

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=2,511)

Multicenter

Yes

Structured PICO

What are the short-term safety outcomes and care pathways of a regional hospital-at-home model in a clinically diverse patient population?

P
Population
2,511 clinically complex patients with substantial comorbidity receiving hospital-level care at home in Denmark, assessed for 30-day outcomes.
E
Exposure
Regional hospital-at-home model (publicly funded, cross-sectoral service coordinated centrally and delivered via municipal nurses and mobile treatment units).
O
Outcome
Length of stay, unplanned hospital contacts during treatment or within 24 h after planned completion, 30-day readmissions, and 30-day survival.hard clinical

A regional hospital-at-home model was safely implemented with high 30-day survival and declining readmission rates in a complex, diverse patient population.

Limitations

  • Observational design without a control group limits causal inference and precludes direct comparison with traditional inpatient hospital care.
  • Data did not include patient-reported outcomes or detailed information on in-home clinical processes.
  • Observational design without a control group limits causal inference
  • Precludes direct comparison with traditional inpatient hospital care
  • Data did not include patient-reported outcomes
  • Lack of detailed information on in-home clinical processes

Cite This Study

Hägi‐Pedersen et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Clinically diverse conditions requiring hospital-level care (n=2,511). Regional hospital-at-home model was evaluated on Length of stay, unplanned hospital contacts, 30-day readmissions, and 30-day survival. A regional hospital-at-home model demonstrated stable unplanned hospital contacts (27.0-31.1%), declining 30-day readmissions (11.0% to 7.0%), and high 30-day survival (91.6-92.4%).

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a65a6b5d3aea3239cd77eefhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-026-15205-7
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Transforming acute care: a scoping review on the effectiveness, safety and implementation challenges of Hospital-at-Home models.2025
  2. 2Hospital at Home in Calgary, Canada: An opportunity for real-world care planning and integration.2025
  3. 3Mapping the organisational and interventional framework for patients admitted to Hospital-at-Home for acute illness in Scandinavia – a scoping review protocol2025
  4. 4Hospital-Level Care at Home for Adults Living in Rural Settings2025
  5. 5Pragmatic Evaluation of a New Hospital at Home Program2025