Heather M. O'Sullivan, APRN, president and COO of Healthcare at Home at Mass General Brigham
Photo: Mass General Brigham
"One day, hospitals will just be ERs, intensive care units and operating rooms. Everyone else will be treated at home." So predicted Johns Hopkins researcher Dr. Bruce Leff, sometimes referred to as the godfather of hospital-at-home.
But simply waiting to see how that progression plays out may put health systems at a disadvantage, warns Heather M. O'Sullivan, APRN, president and COO of Healthcare at Home at the renowned Mass General Brigham health system. Instead, health systems interested in embracing home-based acute care must actively evaluate its potential, and how it would fit within their enterprise.
A unique opportunity
O'Sullivan is scheduled to deliver a presentation, titled "Hospital-at-Home: Financial Benefits and Superior Member Satisfaction," at the 2026 HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exposition in March.
"Attendees will learn how Mass General Brigham – a leading integrated health system and pioneer in hospital-level care at home – established and scaled one of the nation's largest and most successful home hospitals," she said.
"As health systems face a rapidly evolving landscape and increasing pressure for strategic sustainability, scaling home hospital offers a unique opportunity to meet growing patient demand, improve clinical outcomes, enhance patient satisfaction and address the capacity crisis affecting hospitals nationwide.
"As executive urgency for remote care reaches an all-time high," she added, "a rigorous focus on strategy, operational infrastructure and process development is essential to fully achieve the transformative potential of the home hospital model."
Her session will detail a comprehensive framework for scaling the home hospital care delivery model, which integrates five key dimensions: clinical care, operational support, patient engagement, financial sustainability and technology infrastructure.
"By optimizing care teams, expanding logistics and operational support systems, leveraging digital tools for real-time monitoring and communication, and establishing robust performance management processes alongside a sustainable financial model, this approach demonstrates how healthcare organizations can efficiently deliver hospital-level care at home," O'Sullivan explained.
"The result is improved clinical outcomes, enhanced patient experience and effective solutions to address hospital capacity challenges," she said.
Assessing and scaling home hospital
One key takeaway attendees can bring back to their health systems will be a practical framework for assessing and scaling home hospital, O'Sullivan explained.
"A practical framework enables them to identify operational gaps, optimize care delivery and leverage technology to expand high-quality, patient-centered care beyond the traditional brick-and-mortar setting," she noted.
"Specifically, attendees will learn how to conduct a structured capability assessment to identify and prioritize gaps in their organizations' home hospital model, allowing them to focus resources where they're needed most and lay the groundwork for effective scaling."
Heather M. O'Sullivan's session, "Hospital-at-Home: Financial Benefits and Superior Member Satisfaction," is scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Palazzo C/Level 5 at HIMSS26 in Las Vegas.
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