What Is Home Health Care?

Did you know that home health care has been around for centuries? That’s probably a shock since it’s just now becoming a hot topic in the industry, but back in the day, it used to be the primary way for patients to receive care. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, home health care gained serious traction once again and is becoming an increasingly popular option for patients to explore.

Although it’s been around for quite some time, a lot has changed since its initial adoption back in the day. In this post, we’re covering what home health care is, the pros and cons it offers, and the reasons it’s becoming a household term.

What is home health care?

As defined by Medicare.gov, home health care, also commonly referred to as home care or home-based care, includes a wide range of healthcare services that can be provided in your home to treat an illness or injury.A few of the reasons home-based care is gaining big attention lately include:

• The COVID-19 pandemic: Of course, the main reason it resurfaced was to help relieve the burden of hospital overcrowding due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Home-based care removes the need for patients to go into the hospital or clinic setting to receive care.

• Technology advancements: With the advancements in technology, it has made it easy for patients to be seen from the comfort of their own homes. Notably, remote patient monitoring devices have improved the ability of providers to monitor patients from anywhere, 24x7. Factor in the care patients can receive through telehealth and it’s a no-brainer for patients looking for easy access to care.

• Support of value-based care: Another reason why experts in the healthcare industry are pushing for the growth of home-based care is because it aligns with the goals of value-based care. Home-based care is also centered around improving value to patients and improving their quality of life through its services.

Now that we’ve dug into the basics of home-based care, let’s get into who it is for and what kind of services fall under its umbrella.

Who is home health care for?

Home health care can be beneficial to any patient needing care but there are a handful of services that are optimal for this delivery method.

• Wound care Patients who just had surgery and have a wound or individuals with sores that need treatment are prime candidates for home-based care. Providers may suggest home care for these conditions to avoid excessive movement and infection of the wound.

• Senior care One of the most common services under the home-based care umbrella is care for seniors who need assistance with daily activities. A provider would come to the senior’s homes and help with everyday tasks such as administering medication, bathing, dressing, and meal preparation to enable the individuals to live independently and safely.

• Intravenous (IV) or nutrition therapy For patients that need intravenous therapy, home health is a great alternative to driving to the hospital. Some common IV services that use home-based care include hydration, antibiotic therapy, catheter maintenance, steroid therapy, and pain management.

• Injections Patients who require regular injections, such as insulin for diabetic individuals, are benefiting from home-based care. It’s especially being utilized by patients who need assistance or supervision with administering medication.

• Monitoring chronic or serious illnesses This is where remote patient monitoring devices come in handy. These devices have allowed providers to constantly monitor and manage patient conditions without them having to come into the doctor’s office. Home care also allows patients with serious and severe illnesses to be treated directly in their home and not worry about the hassle of transportation that comes with traditional, in-person treatment.

That was only a handful of services that home-based care covers, there are tons more being utilized and even more that are being adopted by providers, patients, and care services as it gains popularity.

Home health care and telehealth

Telehealth has boomed right along with home-based care. In fact, they frequently join forces to deliver the highest quality of care to patients around the clock.

Remote patient monitoring, a telehealth delivery method, has been a game-changer for home care providers and patients. The patient monitoring, reporting, and management abilities it gives providers has been key to delivering quality care to patients in their home. On top of that, patients are able to access their provider at the click of a button with synchronous telehealth visits.

The development of healthcare technology has transformed home-based care from what it was centuries ago. With its continued advancements, we can only imagine what it will look like in a few short years.

In summary

That was a lot of information and only the tip of the iceberg as the topic continues to gain traction in the healthcare industry. We will continue to update this blog as more information comes out to keep you up to date on any new developments in the space, so be sure to check back!

With home health care utilizing telehealth services to treat patients, we have to introduce OpenLoop, a telehealth company that powers telehealth companies.If you’re a hospital, clinic, telehealth company, or home health organization providing home-based services, OpenLoop is a partner you can lean on for launching and scaling your services. We take care of all the back-office operations including:

• Staffing your visits with certified, multi-state licensed providers

• Onboarding your company with our PC groups & MSO (in all 50 states if needed)

• Managing all clinicians including scheduling and payroll

• And so much more!

Interested in what we can do for you? We’d love to connect with you and set up a time to see how we can help you reach your goals and meet your needs! Get in touch here.