Headline
A review of existing literature finds that medical respite care reduces hospital and emergency department (ED) visits, increased use of outpatient care, and leads to overall cost savings.
Context
People experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity are more likely to experience readmissions or ED visits after being discharged from a hospital. Medical respite care is an approach designed to interrupt this cycle by providing short-term housing and access to medical, behavioral, and other critical services for people experiencing homelessness after a hospitalization, illness, or injury. This review provides an update on the evidence base for medical respite care.
Findings
The authors examine available academic and non-academic literature on medical respite care, identifying common program characteristics, medical profiles of individuals served, impacts on patient outcomes and costs, and recommendations for improving these programs. They note that the over 100 medical respite care programs in the U.S. vary greatly in size (ranging from 5 to 124 beds), staffing structure, and clinical services offered. Most programs serve patients experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity who often have multiple chronic conditions and frequent hospitalizations or ED visits. The review finds that receipt of medical respite care is generally associated with reductions in hospital and ED visits, increased use of outpatient care, and overall cost savings. Incorporating community health workers and medications for addiction treatment (MAT) into care delivery are among several key recommendations for enhancing these programs.
Takeaways
Hospitals, health systems, and other health care stakeholders can look to the substantial evidence base documented in this review to make the case for partnering with, implementing or expanding medical respite care programs. These findings are particularly significant for organizations serving Medicaid populations, given the sizeable overlap between individuals experiencing homelessness and those eligible for Medicaid.