4) What is the effect of early assisted discharge on mortality after discharge from hospital or early assisted discharge scheme, in comparison with usual care in hospital?
Early assisted weight-bearing and continual knee exercises were encouraged.
Most schemes are early assisted discharge schemes with specialised respiratory nurses providing care at home.
This may lead to suboptimal decision-making and may impair the acceptance of early assisted discharge.
Early assisted discharge also anticipates for the need for social work involvement during hospitalisation.
Hospital-at-home aims to avoid admission, or reduce length of stay (early assisted discharge schemes).
GO AHEAD was a randomised controlled trial comparing usual hospital care with early assisted discharge for COPD exacerbations.
Hospital at home schemes can be divided in admission avoidance schemes, (early) assisted or supported discharge schemes and combined schemes.
Patients randomised to early assisted discharge were discharged home on the fourth day of admission and further treated at home.
A community-based early assisted discharge for COPD exacerbations is possible and well accepted from the perspective of health care providers' involved.
Early assisted discharge with community nursing is feasible and an alternative to usual hospital care for selected patients with an acute COPD exacerbation.
