Mass. Hospitals Overwhelmed as Shutdown Halts Home Care Program
Massachusetts hospitals faced a sudden crisis on Wednesday when they had to readmit dozens of patients to emergency rooms due to a government shutdown. The shutdown also left other patients without care.
The disruption was caused by the temporary halt of a hospital-nursing-home program, which is typically renewed in government-funding bills. However, the renewal process stalled on Tuesday night, leading to the unexpected closure of the program.
The Massachusetts hospital association is at the center of this disruption. The shutdown paused the Home Care at Home initiative, which provides hospital-level care to patients in their own homes. This pause resulted in patients who were previously receiving care at home being readmitted to hospitals, overwhelming emergency departments.
The shutdown's impact on Massachusetts hospitals was significant, with patients being readmitted to emergency rooms and others losing their care. The Home Care at Home initiative, which aims to provide better care and reduce costs, was temporarily halted. The government and hospital association are working to resolve the issue and restore the program.
