AFTER spending more than seven months in hospital following a motorcycle accident, Peter Howell had the opportunity to go home.
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He no longer needed 24-hour a day medical care and Bendigo Health suggested the California Gully man could continue his rehabilitation at home.
It was a relief for Mr Howell who was sick of being surrounded by hospital walls.
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"Definitely being at home, my mental attitude changed," he said. "When you're in hospital, you're lying in bed not doing much. At home, I am with my family, the kids and even my pets, who play big part in (my recovery).
"I didn't know anything like (Hospital in the Home) was available. I thought I was stuck there until I was 100 per cent ready to go home. The idea of being at home and not at the hospital but getting the care you need is really good."
Mr Howell's motorcycle accident happened in December, 2018, near Harcourt. His leg and wrist were two of the most serious injuries he received.
"My leg was smashed up and they were trying to repair that," he said. "It was good but then it got infected.
"My second lot (of at-home care) included six month on antibiotics trying to get rid of the infection. It came to a point I couldn't get rid of it and they had to amputate my leg.
"That's posing new problems for myself but it is a lot better being at home than in hospital."
While recovering at home, Mr Howell required dressings on his leg to be changed along with medication and an intravenous drip.
"Even sitting in the comfort of my own chair while getting antibiotics was really good rather than getting it done at the hospital in a sterile environment," he said. "Hospital in the Home is fantastic for me mentally. Knowing I can get 100 per cent care while still at home is most reassuring."
Bendigo Health board chair Bob Cameron said the Hospital in the Home service currently helped 570 patients at year. He hopes to see that increase in the coming years..
"We want to see that dramatically increase to try and get better outcomes for people," he said. "We haven't yet received our final budget. The state budget was only yesterday but we are receiving an increase to provide more services. One of emphases we would like to give is for more delivery of services in people's home."
Mr Cameron said Bendigo Health will work with other hospitals in the Loddon Mallee region to identify the best way to bring changes to the at-home services health organisations can deliver.
"Being at home people recover better generally than in a hospital," he said. "Bringing about change is always difficult, people get set in their ways. Change is something you have to think through but the pandemic has thrown a lot in the air. It is a great opportunity while people are thinking differently to capture it and bottle it."