Clinical Governance of Home Care and 30-Day Home Stability: A Prospective Observational Study in the Health and Social Care District No. 4 of Barletta

This single-center prospective observational study is part of a clinical governance program for home care services in the Health and Social Care District No. 4 of Barletta, Azienda Sanitaria Locale BT, Italy. The study concerns three community-based care pathways: integrated home care (ADI), scheduled general practitioner home care (ADP), and temporary home care (ADT).

Eligible care episodes activated during the study period will be identified through routinely collected health service data. No experimental treatment or additional clinical procedure will be assigned by the study. Patients will continue to receive care according to standard clinical practice and their individualized care plans.

The primary outcome is home stability at 30 days, defined as the absence of emergency department visits and unplanned hospital admissions during the 30 days following activation of home care. Additional variables will include the type and intensity of home care, time from request to activation, emergency department visits without admission, unplanned hospital admissions, interruptions or reactivations of care, and selected organizational indicators.

Data will be obtained from the regional health information systems and the administrative and clinical information sources available to the participating district. The analysis will describe the study population, care processes, and 30-day outcomes and will explore differences across care pathways and levels of care complexity. Findings will support multidisciplinary audit and quality-improvement actions aimed at strengthening continuity, appropriateness, and safety of home-based care.