Quarterbacking care, providing the right care in the right place
Thanks to his dual roles of nocturnist at a brick-and-mortar hospital and home hospitalist at Home Hospital, Dr. Cherukara has been able to offer valuable contributions to the model’s development, acting as an informed and respected ally of the pioneering service. He describes his role as a hospitalist as similar to that of a quarterback who coordinates the team, in this case, to provide inpatient care until discharge.
“Dr. Cherukara is skilled at quickly assessing patient needs and matching them to the resources that are right for them, whether in a traditional hospital setting or in their own home,” said Dr. Cindy Yu, director of the Home Hospitalist Unit for Home Hospital. “He is also a great communicator, making him exceptionally valuable as a liaison among care teams, and a trusted advisor for patients and families.”
Family-driven, holistic approach enhances patient care
“Patients are very surprised to learn that they can leave the hospital but still receive the same level of quality inpatient care,” said Dr. Cherukara. “They often jump at the chance to return home, where they can wear their own clothes and sleep in their own beds, or perhaps work from home. They also want to be close to family supports and spare loved ones from hospital commutes.”
“This family-driven, holistic approach to care provides what many patients desire: autonomy from cafeteria diets, roommates, in-person vitals checks, restroom call bells, and more,” he noted. “It also allows providers to see patients in their home environments with unparalleled opportunities for patient/family education and engagement.”
Exceptional camaraderie across disciplines and sites creates seamless transitions
The process of transitioning patients from the brick-and-mortar setting to their homes relies on strong collaboration among teams. Home Hospital, which first established its services working closely with teams at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Mass General Hospital, continues to expand its system relationships, now with Brigham and Women’s Faulkner, Salem, and Newton Wellesley hospitals. “The camaraderie between onsite hospital providers, including ED, Surgical and Medical, with Home Hospital providers is amazing,” said Dr. Cherukara. “Building trusting, collegial relationships has been vital to the success of the initiative.”
These relationships, supported by daily meetings and huddles, make for seamless transitions as inpatient providers assess patients for Home Hospital eligibility. Currently, the majority of Home Hospital patients are receiving treatment for COPD, asthma, pneumonia, cellulitis, DVT, and cardiac and GI diagnoses. Home Hospital is now scaling new pathways in surgical, OB/GYN and cancer services. “When we are able to provide home-based inpatient care, we are also freeing up a bed for a patient requiring acute care in a hospital setting,” noted Dr. Cherukara.
Outcomes and patient/family satisfaction motivate care teams, fuel future growth
Some elderly patients or patients with chronic conditions require inpatient care repeatedly. “We have been thrilled to note patients who have experienced the quality, acute-level care of Home Hospital in the past request it when they next present at the hospital,” Dr. Cherukara said.
“Additionally, we have been pleased to see reduced length of stay, fewer readmissions, as well as reduced burden on family caregivers.” Favorable outcomes and high satisfaction inspire colleagues across the system and continue to fuel the growth of this innovative, patient/family-driven model of care.
