Choosing Care · 8 min read
What should be included in a home ICU, line by line
Two home ICU setups can sound identical and be very different. Here is what should be inside one, and what to ask before you decide.
Paras Homecare ·
Most families comparing home ICU providers are told very little about what is actually included. Two setups that sound identical can contain entirely different levels of staffing and equipment.
The four components
- Equipment rental — bed, ventilator or BiPAP, multipara monitor, suction, oxygen concentrator with cylinder backup, infusion pumps.
- Nursing — usually two critical-care nurses on twelve-hour rotation for continuous cover. This is the largest single line.
- Clinical supervision — an intensivist writing the care plan, reviewing weekly and available for escalation.
- Consumables — circuits, filters, catheters, dressings, gloves. Often billed separately, so ask.
Questions worth asking
Ask whether there will be two nurses or one. Ask whether the ventilator is ICU grade or a home BiPAP being described loosely. Ask who responds when equipment fails at 2 a.m. Ask whether consumables are included. These four questions will usually tell you who is serious.
Why families choose home ICU
For a stable patient who needs long-term monitoring, home ICU keeps the family close, removes visiting-hour limits and avoids a long hospital stay. Talk to the treating doctor about whether it is right for your patient.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Always follow the advice of the patient's doctor.
