“The great thing was that I was able to stay in my own bed, in my own house.”
Generally healthy at age 60, Luis has never been admitted to the hospital for care. That’s why he was a bit concerned when he needed to make a trip to the ER at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI due to urinary retention. His history of prostate issues had been managed by his urologist up to that point, but he hadn’t been able to get in for an appointment in the day or two leading up to his ER visit and was in worsening discomfort. He was also running a fever and had a corresponding high heart rate.
“At that point the ER doctor recommended that I be admitted for a few days for observation,” Luis recalls. “I knew that I had to be under some kind of care, but I really was hesitant to say, ‘now I’m going to spend two or three days in the hospital bed.’”
A hospital stay averted
So, when he was approached with the opportunity to return home with Henry Ford Health’s Care at Home program and receive hospital-level care, he jumped at the chance. He explained that his primary concern—the discomfort and retention—had been alleviated with a catheter, and the Recovery Care Coordinator explained that all his other treatment including lab work and visits with the doctor could happen from the comfort of his own home.
“The great thing was that I was able to stay in my own bed, in my own house— and be comfortable lounging around, walking around or moving about without the restrictions that I think I would have in the hospital. So that was one of the big selling points to me, that it was very accommodating because it was in my own home,” shares Luis.
He also notes that it was a benefit to his husband, who otherwise would have had to bring personal belongings to the hospital from home and travel to be with him. “That a big plus as well,” he adds. “Because he works from home. It was very convenient.”
Recovering at home
After arriving home, Luis says that the Care at Home team made sure he was set up right away with everything he needed. “They gave me a tablet, a scale, a blood pressure monitor and a thermometer. And they explained the process of either me or my husband doing the vitals on a daily basis,” Luis explained.
He and his husband weren’t on their own, though. “Then we would set up an appointment daily to speak to the physician and a nurse was here when we were video conferencing with the physician. And then the nurse would come back the following morning and do some bloodwork and vitals and see how I was doing,” he continued. “Overall, the experience was very pleasant, and they were good with how they explained to me what needed to be done.”
After two days, Luis was doing much better. “I’m an active person, staying in the hospital would have been a challenge,” he notes. “To me, staying in the hospital isn’t the greatest experience— you’re confined to a little area. It’s not the same as ‘I want a yogurt out of the refrigerator so I’m going to go get one.’ At home, being in a comfortable place makes it so much better. I could walk into my living room, dining room and even back yard.”
When asked if he would recommend the program to others, Luis was emphatic. “Oh, absolutely. If that is an option that your physician recommends, then I would absolutely take that as option one.”