In Home Hospital Care Program

A randomized trial compared health care systems with and without IHHC. Eligible children presented to the Emergency Department of our medical center, had common acute problems, and were considered for hospital admission. Physicians decided disposition from the emergency department. Note that subjects were not randomized directly to IHHC but to a system of care that either included IHHC or did not. To allow best use of scarce home nursing resources, we used a disproportionate selection favoring the system with IHHC. Quality measures included adverse events, parent anxiety and satisfaction with care, family disruption, and perceived child health.