“Home treatment for patients with Multiple Sclerosis” started on Friday, October 4, 2024, within the framework of the “OIKOTHEN” program of the 2nd Neurological Clinic of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

In this context, the Centre envisioned a new service for people with MS to offer home health care, which could include inpatient treatments for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Patients, if they meet the criteria for inclusion in the programme, will be able to receive systematic personalised treatment and medical monitoring at home, i.e. without having to travel to the hospital.

“Personalised health care, as well as the sustainability of health systems, is one of the most important challenges we face today“, says Nikos Grigoriadis, Director of the 2nd Neurology Clinic of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Professor of Neurology. “OIKOTHEN” is a patient-centred programme, aiming to improve the quality of life of people with multiple sclerosis, through the provision of improved and immediate health services and the reduction of the burden caused by the need to move them to hospital units. “Following our vision to provide high quality home treatment services, we are making specialist treatment for PD accessible to more patients. At the same time, this initiative brings benefits to the healthcare ecosystem, such as better management of resources and a holistic approach to the treatment of MS,” adds Mr. Gregoriadis and stresses “Our goal is to gradually create a service with potential for expansion to other hospitals in the country, which will bring significant benefits to the patient, the clinic and the healthcare system and to serve as a model for its implementation.”

The benefits for the patient are many: Provision of personalized care with an emphasis on chronic symptom management, Reduction in travel costs, Maintaining patient independence, Homelike environment that helps with mental health, Reduction in burdensome travel for patients with mobility issues, Family involvement designed to improve the patient’s emotional well-being, Avoidance of inpatient infections with reduced risk of exposure that common healthcare settings may cause.

For the hospital respectively achieved: Increase in hospital availability due to release of beds, Allocation of hospital beds to patients with increased hospitalization needs, Progressive reduction in hospitalization costs due to minimization of readmissions for patients with MS, Rationalization of coordination of patient care.

However, the benefits for the health system are also important: Creation of new innovative ways of treating patients with multiple sclerosis, Increased confidence in the NHS, Reduction in overall costs of care (avoiding hospital-acquired infections), Progressive release of beds.