South Charlotte Today

Children in the Charlotte area now have the opportunity to receive full-service, hospital-level care at home through a new program by Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital, part of Advocate Health. This initiative is an expansion of Atrium Health's existing hospital-at-home program, which is currently the largest in the country for adult patients, serving around 90 individuals daily. The pediatric extension aims to provide high-quality medical care at home, potentially reducing hospital stays and freeing beds for critically ill pediatric patients.

Dr. Stacy Nicholson, president of Atrium Health Children’s Services, emphasized, "Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital at Home represents a significant advancement in pediatric care. By bringing hospital-level care into the homes of our patients, we are improving their comfort and convenience while also ensuring they receive the highest quality medical attention."

Advocate Health has become the only U.S. health system offering hospital-level care at home for both pediatric and adult patients. The care team consists of board-certified pediatric hospitalists, pediatric trained nurses, child life specialists, and paramedicine technicians. The in-home services include IV medications, breathing treatments, wound care, and post-surgical care.

Children eligible for the program include those meeting hospitalization criteria but stable enough for home monitoring. The service is initially available for patients presenting to the Levine Children's Hospital emergency department. It also facilitates the transition from in-hospital to home care for patients whose conditions have improved but need continued monitoring. Upon returning home, patients receive a home monitoring kit and benefit from 24/7 surveillance, daily virtual physician visits, and in-person visits by community paramedics.

This approach aims not only to enhance patient comfort but also to reduce hospital readmissions. Callie Dobbins, senior vice president of Atrium Health Levine Children’s, noted, "We’re constantly looking for unique ways to meet the needs of our communities. With this program, we can offer safe, family-centered, convenient care in the places our patients feel most comfortable — their homes. It also gives parents and caregivers the ability to be home where they too are more comfortable and can simultaneously attend to other responsibilities they may have, such as caring for other children."

Further information about Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital at Home can be found at LevineChildrens.org/HospitalAtHome.