Thousands to be treated remotely after $31.4 million boost to Hospital in the Home program

Thousands of patients will be able to receive medical treatment from home in a move from the NSW government aimed at reducing hospital wait times.

The Hospital in the Home (HITH) program will receive a $31.4 million boost, allowing it to treat an extra 3500 patients a year.

The program already treated 5300 patients last year, reducing the length of the patients' stay and discharging them, when possible, to continue treatment from home.

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In some cases, patients avoided going to hospital at all.

"To relieve the pressure on our emergency departments, we are creating more pathways to care outside the hospital, as well as improving patient flow within the hospital," Health Minister Ryan Park said.

"The additional funding will free up more hospital beds – releasing almost 9000 hospital bed days each year."

The funding will also be used on additional staffing and a virtual care infrastructure to support the expansion of the program.

It would let staff video-call patients and monitor them remotely.

The state government said a range of conditions can be safely managed at home without a person needing to stay in the hospital, and are expanding the list of conditions that make a person eligible for HITH.

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Those conditions include cellulitis, pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and urinary tract infections.

Liverpool and Campbelltown Hospitals will be part of the program, with more to be announced.

The expansion of HITH is part of a number of funds allocated by the government to help relieve the pressure on the healthcare system, including $70 million to emergency departments and $100 million to urgent care facilities.