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Surrounded by Family, One Patient with Cancer Finds the Strength to Keep Going Thanks to Home Hospital

4 minute read
Robert Yarrington with his wife, Rakhi
Robert Yarrington with his wife, Rakhi.

“I’m not sure how much time I have left,” said Robert Yarrington, a Mass General Brigham patient living with metastatic colorectal cancer. “Being able to spend more time with my wife is what’s most important to me right now.” 

Before considering the transition to hospice care, Robert wanted to try one more therapy in the hopes that it would give him more time with his family. But first, he needed to regain some of his strength. In the hospital, he was struggling to improve and eager to get home. That’s when his care team told him about Mass General Brigham Home Hospital’s Oncology Service.

Hospital-level care at home

Mass General Brigham Home Hospital offers hospital-level care from trusted providers in a patient’s home. Patients admitted to Home Hospital receive 24/7 remote monitoring, daily in-person and virtual visits from clinicians, access to many services traditionally provided only in brick-and-mortar hospitals and around-the-clock access to an integrated care team. It’s the same world-class services a patient would receive in a Mass General Brigham hospital, delivered at home with the same high-quality standards.

For patients with cancer, the Oncology Service provides care that meets their medical needs and is integrated with their ongoing cancer treatments. Since its inception in April 2025, the program has expanded and developed new capabilities to allow patients like Robert the chance to heal at home.

Robert had been admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital for more than two weeks, and he was struggling to improve enough to be discharged — his labs remained abnormal, and he was not regaining strength. That’s when the nurse practitioners on Ellison 16 (an acute care medical unit) recommended Home Hospital.

“After Robert was transferred to Home Hospital, his labs and energy improved over just a few days,” said Thomas Roberts, MD, MBA, an oncologist and clinical director of the Home Hospital Oncology Service. “In just five days in Home Hospital, his strength returned enough to allow him to be discharged. A few days later, he was well enough to attend his appointment with his oncology team to start his next treatment.” 

I’m not sure how much time I have left. Being able to spend more time with my wife is what’s most important to me right now.

Robert Yarrington

Home Hospital Patient

Caregivers benefit when their loved ones are close

During his stay in Home Hospital, Robert’s wife, Rakhi, was able to be by his side the entire time.

“I’m his primary caregiver. When he was in the brick-and-mortar hospital, it was hard to be by his side all day long. I would sometimes miss the early morning rounds,” said Rakhi. “When he was in Home Hospital, I was able to be there for everything. I didn’t miss a visit from a clinician, and I was able to hear and see for myself just what he needed from me.”

For Rakhi, being so connected to her husband’s care was invaluable. And for Robert, being with his wife 24 hours a day, seven days a week, made all the difference. “My recovery was quite good. Whether or not that would have happened in the hospital, I’m not entirely sure. But I certainly think sleeping in my own bed and being with my wife and family helped,” he said.

Expanding services to better care for patients with cancer at home

In less than a year, the Home Hospital Oncology Service has shown tremendous potential, offering patients like Robert and his family the right care, in the right setting. To date, more than 100 patients from five Mass General Brigham hospitals have benefited from the program, which continues to expand in both size and scope. In fact, come fall, the service will begin offering in-home transfusions.

“The Home Hospital staff are the heart and soul of this program,” said Dr. Roberts. “They provide comfortable and experienced care in close collaboration with each patient’s oncology team and our palliative care team. As we continue to grow the program, it is my hope that we will meet the needs of even more patients with cancer.”  

Learn more about Mass General Brigham Home Hospital