Pioneering Hospital-at-Home in Taiwan: Early Clinical Outcomes from the First Cohort of Nursing Home Older Adults

Objective This study provides the first empirical evaluation of Taiwan's Hospital-at-Home (HaH) pilot program, launched in 2024 under the National Health Insurance system. The aim was to examine the clinical effectiveness, safety, and economic feasibility of HaH in managing acute infections, including pneumonia, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and soft tissue infections (STIs), among older adults living in long-term care facilities. Methods A prospective, matched-controlled study was conducted from July 2024 to June 2025 across seven nursing homes. Sixty residents aged 65 years or older who received HaH care were matched in a 1:2 ratio with 120 hospitalized patients by age, sex, and diagnosis. HaH services were delivered by a single interdisciplinary team. Primary outcomes included care duration, medical costs (USD), emergency department (ED) revisits, readmissions, and mortality.