Table 2 Summary characteristics of the included studies

Publication types (n = 69)

 Registry record or protocol

8 (11.6%)

6 (15.8%)

2 (6.5%)

 Conference abstract

8 (11.6%)

1 (2.6%)

7 (22.6%)

 Journal paper

52 (75.4%)

31 (81.6%)

21 (67.7%)

 Preprint

1 (1.4%)

0

1 (3.2%)

Countries (n = 69)

 Australia

2 (2.9%)

2 (5.3%)

0

 Chile

1 (1.4%)

1 (2.6%)

0

 Denmark

3 (4.3%)

3 (7.9%)

0

 France

1 (1.4%)

0

1 (3.2%)

 Italy

6 (8.7%)

6 (15.8%)

0

 Netherlands

2 (2.9%)

2 (5.3%)

0

 New Zealand

2 (2.9%)

2 (5.3%)

0

 Norway

1 (1.4%)

1 (2.6%)

0

 Singapore

1 (1.4%)

0

1 (3.2%)

 Spain

8 (11.6%)

2 (5.3%)

6 (19.4%)

 Turkey

1 (1.4%)

1 (2.6%)

0

 UK

22 (31.9%)

13 (34.2%)

9 (29%)

 Uruguay

1 (1.4%)

0

1 (3.2%)

 US

15 (21.7%)

5 (13.1%)

10 (32.3%)

 Unspecified

3 (4.3%)

0

3 (9.7%)

Primary conditions (n = 69)

 General unspecified acute medical conditions

24 (34.8%)

11 (28.9%)

13 (41.9%)

 Acute decompensation of chronic heart failure

3 (4.3%)

3 (7.9%)

0

 Acute respiratory conditions such as pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) acute exacerbations, neuromuscular disease patients with severe respiratory tract infection

17 (24.6%)

11 (28.9%)

6 (19.4%)

 Cystic fibrosis or pulmonary exacerbations

3 (4.3%)

0

3 (9.7%)

 Specific acute conditions such as acute calculous cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, acute uncomplicated diverticulitis, or exacerbations of chronic conditions such as stroke, cancer patients who need acute care

10 (14.5%)

6 (15.8%)

4 (12.9%)

 Surgical patients such as hip and knee replacement, fractured neck of femur, inguinal hernia or varicose veins, coronary artery bypass grafting

5 (7.2%)

2 (5.3%)

3 (9.7%)

 Hospitalised moderately ill children, preterm infants

2 (2.9%)

1 (2.6%)

1 (3.2%)

 Older people including those of frailty or prior dependence and those with cognitive impairment who are in need of acute hospital care

4 (5.8%)

4 (10.5%)

0

Unspecified

1 (1.4%)

0

1 (3.2%)

Sample sizes (n = 60)

 Summaries

Total = 38,363 participants;

Median 115.5 (range 21 to 22,610)

Total = 6413 participants in 32 studies;

Median 111, (range 21 to 1055)

31,950 in 28 studies;

Median 142 (range 30 to 22,610)

 The number of participants in interventions

10,229 participants

2817 participants in 29 studies

7412 in 29 studies

 The number of participants in control

27,824 participants

2501 participants in 29 studies

25,323 in 28 studies

Average age in years (n = 44)

Median 70.3 (range 2.1 to 83.3)

Median 70 in 22 studies (range 2.1 to 83.3)

Median 74 in 22 studies (range 12.6 to 81.7)

Sex (n = 46)

 Male

15,891 participants

2256 in 27 studies

13,635 in 19 studies

 Female

19,275 participants

2804 in 27 studies

16,471 in 19 studies

Inpatients level care at home interventions

63 interventions

33 interventions

30 interventions

 Unspecified

12 (19.0%)

4 (12.1%)

8 (26.7%)

 Early discharge

22 (34.9%)

15 (45.5%)

7 (23.3%)

 Avoidance of hospital admission

25 (39.7%)

13 (39.4%)

12 (40%)

 Avoidance of hospital admission and early discharge

4 (6.3%)

1 (3.0%)

3 (10%)

Intervention groups

63 interventions

33 interventions

30 interventions

 General inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- or community-based professionals, with high-intensity technology involvement

7 (11.1%)

3 (9.1%)

4 (13.3%)

 General inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- or community-based professionals, with low-intensity technology involvement

16 (25.4%)

11 (33.3%)

5 (16.6%)

 General inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- and community-based professionals, with high-intensity technology involvement

2 (3.2%)

1 (3.0%)

1 (3.3%)

 General inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- and community-based professionals, with low-intensity technology involvement

1 (1.6%)

1 (3.0%)

0

 Extended multidisciplinary inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- or community-based professionals, with high-intensity technology involvement

2 (3.2%)

2 (6.1%)

0

 Extended multidisciplinary inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- or community-based professionals, with low-intensity technology involvement

4 (6.3%)

2 (6.1%)

2 (6.7%)

 Extended multidisciplinary inpatient-level care, delivered by hospital- and community-based professionals, with low-intensity technology involvement

9 (14.3%)

5 (15.2%)

4 (13.3%)

 Interventions that have no detail of technology, workforce, or care pathway, or the three components

22 (34.9%)

8 (24.2%)

14 (46.7%)

Follow up (n = 49)

Median 3 months (range 7 days to 12 months)

Across 32 studies: Median 3 months (range 7 days to 12 months)

Across 17 studies: Median 3 months (range 1 month to 12 months)

Overall risk of bias (n = 69)

 Cochrane risk of bias

 Low

1 (2.6%)

NA

 Unclear

25 (65.8%)

NA

 High

4 (10.5%)

NA

 Not applicable for trial registries or protocols

8 (21.1%)

ROBINS-I

 Low

NA

0

 Moderate

NA

3 (9.7%)

 Serious

NA

5 (16.1%)

 Critical

NA

14 (45.2%)

 No information

NA

9 (29%)