RMH@Home Acute

We deliver acute hospital-level treatment and care in the comfort of a person's own home.

Key points

Short-term acute medical and nursing care that can be delivered in a home setting
Treatment of medical and surgical conditions including infections, complex wounds, perioperative anticoagulant management, exacerbation of chronic comorbidities
Referrals accepted from services at the RMH, other hospital wards and specialist services, general practitioners and primary care practitioners
There is no cost to patients for receiving RMH@Home Acute care

Patients need a referral from their GP or healthcare provider. Access referral information

What we do

Previously known as Hospital in the Home (HITH), RMH@Home Acute provides health care in the home that would otherwise need to be delivered in a traditional acute ward bed.

We aim to reduce time spent in hospital by providing acute short-term medical treatments such as:

Delivery of intravenous antibiotics and other medications
Perioperative anticoagulation management
Complex wound management

Who we are

We are a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, allied health staff, administration assistants and volunteers that promotes a 'Home First' approach to support patients in their own homes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our patients are regarded as hospital inpatients and remain under the care of a treating hospital team, receiving the same treatment considerations as they would if staying in hospital.

How our service works

Clinical staff visit patients at home to assess their needs, provide treatment, review and plan care. A 'home' could be:

The patient's own home
A hotel
A residential aged care facility (RACF)
A family member’s or friend’s home

Discharge planning is implemented in consultation with the referring unit, GP and appropriate community-based services.

We accept referrals from RMH services, other hospital wards and specialist services, general practitioners and primary care practitioners.

There is no cost to patients for receiving RMH@Home Acute care.

Who can use our service

Our team works closely with the referring clinician to check that patients are eligible and reviewed by our medical team and nurse coordinators promptly to determine whether they are suitable for our service.

Patients must meet the following criteria to be eligible for RMH@Home Acute:

They require acute inpatient treatment delivered in the home
Their home environment is suitable for staff to provide care (a routine risk assessment is carried out with all patients) – for certain patient cohorts, it might be necessary for patients to present to the hospital to receive their treatment
The patient has access to a phone or has means to contact healthcare staff for assistance when needed. We maintain a 24-hour telephone line to support our patients at home
The patient consents to participate in the program

The patient’s home location can either be within the RMH catchment area with care delivered directly by staff of the RMH, or the patient might reside further away. We will arrange to have care jointly managed with local health service providers for patients residing further away.

Diagnoses and treatment

RMH@Home Acute supports a variety of diagnoses and treatment at home. These include conditions such as:

Viral infections (including COVID-19)
Bronchiectasis exacerbations
Dehydration
Pneumonia
Heart failure exacerbations
Genito-urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis
Acute tonsillitis
Cellulitis
Postoperative infections
Infective endocarditis
Anticoagulation management
Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli
Post-operative drain management
Complex wounds and negative pressure dressings

For patients

For health professionals

Interpreters and cultural support

We provide qualified, professional interpreters to help you communicate with us at any time during your stay and at your clinic appointments.

Find out more about interpreters & cultural support

Your responsibilities during RMH@Home treatment

Your responsibilities during treatment include the following:

You need to remain at home for the duration of your treatment. If you have medical appointments or other vital commitments, you must inform your nurse during the visit.
Our medical team will provide all care and any prescriptions you may need. We will liaise with your GP as needed and keep them up to date once you have been discharged from the service. There is usually no requirement for you to visit your GP while you are being cared for by RMH@Home.
We ask that you provide a smoke free and safe environment for our team.
Please ensure pets are outside while our team is visiting.
Notify the RMH@Home nurse when your medication supply is low. We will dispense more medications as required. You will not need to visit your GP or pharmacist.
We request that you continue to wear your hospital armband while you are at home. It is a legal requirement for nurses to check this armband before giving you any medications.
You will also be supplied with our 24 hour number to call for assistance. Patients are welcome to use this at any time of day, and you will be transferred directly to either a nurse or doctor within the service.

If you need to attend a specialist clinic appointment at the hospital

When you need to attend a specialist clinic:

You should discuss this with the RMH@Home nurses when they visit.
Arrange for a family member or friend to bring you into your appointment.
On the day, the team will arrange for you to receive your care in our treatment area at the RMH and help you to find the location of your appointment. If you have a letter issued by the clinic, bring this with you.
Discuss with the RMH@Home nurse if you have difficulty getting to your appointment.

When to call the 24-hour number

All RMH@Home patients are provided with a phone number to call for support. You should call this number any time you feel unwell, if you have new or changing symptoms, or if you have any concerns or questions. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In the event of a life threatening emergency, call 000, then:

Ask someone to notify RMH@Home team of your situation via the 24 hour number as soon as possible.
Ask to be taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Tell the transportation service that you are a patient of the Royal Melbourne Hospital and are being treated by RMH@Home.

What happens after finishing treatment with RMH@Home

Our team will discuss your treatment with you and keep you informed of plans after the completion of our care. We will provide your GP with information about your treatment.

We usually recommend that you make a follow-up appointment with your GP about one week after being discharged.

Planning for discharge

Throughout your time with us, we will work closely with you to plan the most appropriate care to meet your needs. This includes identifying and planning for the time when you no longer need intensive or specialised clinical care from us.

We will work with you, your GP, private specialists, family, carer and other appropriate partners in care to create a plan for support following discharge if required. We usually recommend that you make a follow-up appointment with your GP about one week after being discharged.

Last updated 07 August 2025