Palomar Health Granted CMS Acute Hospital Care at Home Approval

Challenge

In 2021, leaders at Palomar Health, the most comprehensive healthcare delivery system in northern San Diego County and a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, needed to offer more capacity due to COVID-19 pandemic surges. Palomar decided to pursue the Acute Hospital Care at Home program under the CMS Acute Care at Home waiver. They chose Guidehouse as their trusted advisor in a six-month initiative due to its experience in supporting next-generation health systems. 

Solution

• Invested in an innovative, future-focused, and highly technological Acute Hospital Care at Home model
• Leveraged Guidehouse as their trusted advisor in the six-month enabling care at home transformation and clinical operations redesign
• Ensured clinician involvement and governance in the design of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program
• Aligned acute and ambulatory workflows and integrated them into the EHR, including interfaces for remote patient monitoring and documentation for all staff
• Created a mock inpatient unit in the EHR to enable consistent automation capabilities in revenue cycle and DRG reimbursement processes

Impact

• Achieved an enterprisewide clinical, operational, and financial transformation
• Granted CMS Acute Care at Home waiver approval in three months
• Implementation ready in six months, even amid pandemic surges