The hospital center unveils new facilities for this unit
The Home Hospitalization Unit (HADO) of the University Hospital Complex of the Canary Islands (HUC), attached to the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, has inaugurated new facilities, covering 270 square meters, in order to achieve a «more spacious and comfortable» environment. In 2024, a total of 596 patients were admitted in 2024 to Home Hospitalization at this Hospital.
Located on the 1st floor of the hospitalization building of the hospital center, the new space is the result of a renovation undertaken with modifications to layouts and surface renewals. This has involved the updating of telecommunications, electricity, air conditioning, and fire safety facilities, as reported by the hospital center in a press release.
This new space includes a patient waiting room, an area for attention with armchairs, an area for attention for two beds, an isolation cubicle for one bed, a medical work area, a nursing work area, a medication preparation area, a storage room, an assisted bathroom, an office for the head of service, an office for nursing supervision, an administrative office, a cleaning area, female and male changing rooms, a restroom for staff, and an office.
The team consists of 17 professionals: seven doctors, one of them as head of service, seven nurses, one nursing assistant, one physiotherapist, and one administrator.
SERVICE DATA
A total of 596 patients were admitted in 2024 to Home Hospitalization at HUC. Specifically, as detailed by the hospital center, there were 5,565 home visits and 1,220 physiotherapy sessions, aiming for the functional recovery of the patient at home.
Additionally, in 2024, this service was launched at the Northern Hospital. The center has sixteen Home Hospitalization beds, with a team composed of two doctors, five nurses, and one physiotherapist.
In this case, they specify that more than 130 patients have been admitted to this service since its inception until March. In addition, there were 565 physiotherapy sessions.
OPERATION
This ‘hospital admission at home’ is offered to patients and families who need to continue with treatment and care provided in the hospital and are in a stable clinical condition.
In this way, they explain, being at home offers patients benefits for their recovery, both physically and mentally, minimizes the risks associated with acquiring infections from hospital germs that are more resistant to antibiotics, and ensures the effectiveness of the treatment.
Regarding its operation, the care team of the unit travels to the patient’s home to carry out the scheduled visit in the morning, just as if the patient were in the hospital.
During the visit, clinical monitoring is conducted, vital signs are taken, treatment is administered, usually intravenously, complex wound/ulcer care is provided, and blood tests or electrocardiograms are performed, among others.
If the patient requires rehabilitation treatment, the unit’s physiotherapist travels to the home to provide treatment in their environment until functional recovery goals are achieved.
In the afternoon, the HADO unit nurse conducts daily telephone follow-up, and 24-hour care coverage throughout the year is guaranteed by the duty doctor on call.
The specialties that benefit the most from the Home Hospitalization service are Internal Medicine, Infections, Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Medical Oncology, Pulmonology, and Nephrology-Urology.
