A physician's perspective on the advantages of home medical care: the other side of case management.

As medical costs increase, alternatives to hospitalization for medical care must be sought. Patient care provided through outpatient clinics and home settings offers such alternatives. Intravenous antibiotics, fluids, blood, total parenteral nutrition, chemotherapy, and pain management as well as dialysis may now be given in the comfort of the patient's home. Overall, home services may save 30% to 50% in costs compared with costs for the same service provided in the hospital. The major savings comes from removing the charge for the hospital room.