RPM supports shorter hospital stays in Tairāwhiti

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth 

A remote patient monitoring programme at Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti has provided 325 ‘virtual’ bed days in patient’s own homes, in its first six months. 

The Āhuru Mōwai Hospital in the Home (HiTH) initiative was launched late in July 2024 to enable early and safe discharge of patients while ensuring continued specialist care at home.  

Over the first six months, 78 patients were admitted to the service, with daily visits from a registered nurse and remote patient monitoring. 

Clinical lead Erik McClain says the initial focus was on patients recovering from chronic heart failure and respiratory illnesses, before expanding to surgical patients, with a pathway introduced for people recovering from appendectomies. 

HiTH has also started taking people with cellulitis from the emergency department in order to provide intravenous antibiotics in their home. 

Clinicians receive real-time updates of patient vital signs—including heart rate, oxygen saturation, temperature, weight, and blood pressure—through Propell+Persona remote monitoring technology.  

He says the real-time feedback has provided numerous valuable insights over the past six months.  

A nurse visits each patient daily to provide acute assessments, administer medications, and facilitate telehealth appointments with a hospital specialist. 

McClain estimates of the 325 bed days provided, at least 75% were directly substituting for beds within the physical hospital. 

He says this demonstrates the program’s ability to deliver acute-level care in a home setting, reducing the strain on inpatient hospital resources, while maintaining access to acute specialist care in hospitals for those who need it.  

Patients receiving care in the comfort of their own homes have given the programme a 100% Net Promoter Score via patient surveys.

Āhuru Mōwai HiTH serves a diverse patient population where 53 percent identify as Māori or Pacific, reflecting community demographics. 

“Patients are taking to it extremely well,” McClain said. 

“Clinicians are also supportive. Hospital beds fill up very quickly, and our surgeons are extremely busy, so if we can open up beds for them, that is always a good thing.” 

He adds that the program was initiated as a gradual, ongoing service development rather than a temporary pilot. 

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