Driving Healthcare Home: How to Create Capacity by Streamlining Bottlenecks, Improving Throughput, Shortening Length of Stay, and Reducing Readmissions

In this episode of the Becker's Healthcare Podcast, Chanel Bunger interviews Deidre Roley, Senior Director of Clinical Partnerships and Growth at MyLaurel, about the transformative potential of hospital-at-home models in addressing systemic healthcare bottlenecks. Roley, an ER nurse turned healthcare leader, shares her journey in building and scaling hospital-at-home programs post-pandemic and explains how MyLaurel’s innovative approach offers a 'third option' for patients—bridging the gap between inpatient care and post-discharge neglect. Unlike traditional hospital-at-home models constrained by CMS regulations and staffing demands, MyLaurel focuses on low to mid-acuity patients, providing acute care at home and a 14-day wraparound service that includes primary care follow-ups, specialist coordination, and case management. This model not only shortens length of stay and reduces readmissions but also frees up hospital beds, improves throughput, and enhances patient experience. The episode highlights measurable benefits for health systems, including up to 15 additional beds generated per day, 60% reductions in readmissions among high-risk patients, and a nine-to-one return on investment. MyLaurel’s risk-sharing guarantee—where the company assumes financial risk if a patient returns to the hospital within the 14-day episode—demonstrates confidence in the model’s effectiveness. With patient satisfaction scores above 97% and strong alignment with HCAPS outcomes, the model represents a scalable, patient-centered solution to the growing crisis of hospital overcrowding and fragmented care. Roley emphasizes that modern care at home is no longer just a convenience but a clinically safe, operationally efficient, and financially sound strategy for the future of healthcare delivery.