As Epworth's Hospital at Home marks its 25th anniversary this year, we have expanded our services to provide patients with even greater choice and flexibility in receiving care at home.
Epworth at Home now integrates services that include acute care, rehabilitation, and chemotherapy to provide hospital-standard care delivered by Epworth doctors, nurses and allied health professionals in the comfort, convenience, and privacy of patients' homes.
Cindy Joffe, Director, Epworth at Home, said the highly trained team delivered a comprehensive level of care, including 24/7 on-call and monitoring.
"As an Epworth at Home patient, you are treated just like an admitted Epworth hospital patient, but without being in the hospital setting," Cindy said.
"Epworth doctors, nurses and allied health professionals deliver personalised care in the comfort of your home, including intravenous therapies, blood transfusions, pain management, complex wound care, chemotherapy, and post-surgical rehabilitation."
For 81-year-old Laurie, Epworth at Home means receiving his regular chemotherapy treatments in the comfort of his own home-eliminating the need for long journeys and hours spent on public transport to attend hospital appointments.
Laurie was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia over a year ago and he now requires seven injections every four weeks, along with a 10-day course of tablets-administered and supported by an Epworth chemotherapy nurse.
"I think it is a magnificent system," Laurie said.
"If I had to travel to East Melbourne for treatment, it would mean an hour each way on public transport- on top of the time spent at the hospital. Being able to receive all my treatment at home in just 15 minutes is fantastic."
As well as being more convenient, Laurie has built strong connections with his Epworth care team.
"We have a bit of a chat while they are here," he said.
"Every nurse I have encountered has been exceptional-not only highly skilled, but also genuinely kind and compassionate."
Christine was able to undertake all six weeks of her rehabilitation appointments at home following her right hip replacement surgery at Epworth Eastern in February.
She said it was a relief to have the 'daunting' recovery process taken care of by her Epworth at Home team.
"It is a fantastic service. I did not have to organise anything prior, it was all done for me," Chris said.
"Having my rehabilitation at home meant I did not have to worry about getting in the car and travelling back and forth, and I could do my exercises comfortably from my own bed.
"The physios don't just come in and do the exercises with you, but they check your veins for deep vein thrombosis, they ask you questions about how you are progressing, and they are side by side with you as you recover.
"I appreciated the moral support to know you are progressing and I had support for my concerns."
Eligibility for Epworth at Home is determined by your treating doctor. If you are interested in this service, speak with your GP or Epworth specialist to explore whether it is a suitable option for you.
