Home healthcare provides a variety of services to help patients recover from illness or injury. These services are often less expensive than care received in a hospital and can improve health outcomes.
Home healthcare services are covered by Medicare and some private insurance plans. In addition, the federal government requires Medicaid to cover home health care for its beneficiaries in every state.
Caregiving
Caregiving is an important part of home healthcare. It can include companionship, transportation and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing, dressing and transferring.
Caregivers may be hired independently or through a home care agency. Both options require careful screening of caregivers and background checks on applicants. If you choose to work with an agency, ask about their screening process and how they manage turnover of employees.
Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance typically cover home healthcare services. You can also purchase long-term care insurance or veteren benefits to help pay for home health care. To find out if you qualify, speak with your doctor. The doctor can also make recommendations for care and services. You may also be able to receive financial assistance through your community.
Dietary Assistance
Many patients with chronic conditions need to adhere to prescribed diets in order to maintain their health. As part of home healthcare, dietitians are able to provide dietary assessments and guidance to support those guidelines. This is often the most time consuming and expensive portion of their care, but a well-designed program can deliver results that rival the quality of hospital food in the comfort of your own home. Depending on your dietary needs, the best way to go about this is to find an experienced registered dietician who is willing to work with you to determine your optimal dietary requirements.
Laboratory Testing
Whether it’s screening, monitoring or treating a health condition, laboratory testing is an important part of home healthcare. This is because it can help detect conditions before they cause symptoms and provide a way to monitor your progress while managing an illness or condition.
At-home diagnostic tests are a growing trend in home healthcare. These services send mobile phlebotomists to your home and collect blood samples that are sent to a lab for analysis.
As with any test, it’s important to talk to your doctor about at-home diagnostic tests before you decide to get them. They may advise you to avoid testing at home if there are any risk factors, such as previous fainting episodes, anemia or acute illnesses. They also recommend that you are well-rested, well-hydrated and calm during the lab draw to avoid any side effects.
Medical Equipment
Medical devices play a critical role in home healthcare, as they are used for treatment, diagnosis, and monitoring. These devices are typically referred to as durable medical equipment (DME).
Durable medical equipment includes items such as specialized beds, lifts, and toileting aids. It also includes test kits and monitors that measure health status indicators.
A significant challenge for the design of these devices is the wide range of nonclinical use environments in which they will be operated. These environments include homes, workplaces, schools, hotels, stores, places of worship, and transportation systems.
Medical device manufacturers must apply human factors engineering principles and processes in the design of these devices to ensure their safety and usability for use by people who receive home care. This reduces the risk of product misuse or abandonment, which can compromise the quality of care and ultimately lead to more health care dollars being spent.
Transportation
Home healthcare agencies often provide transportation as a supplementary service to help patients get around town and attend medical appointments. This can be particularly helpful for seniors, who are often no longer able to drive safely.
Moreover, transport can be a useful tool for rural residents to avoid social isolation and loneliness. Moreover, it can reduce hospitalizations and nursing home stays by allowing patients to stay in their homes.
While transportation is a key part of home healthcare, it can be complicated to implement. As a result, home care agency staff members and clients should be carefully screened and trained to ensure safety and confidentiality.