What is Home Health?
Home health is an extension of the hospital stay.
What type of services can I receive from home health?
Home health is an extension of the hospital stay and may involve visiting nurses, physical, occupational and/or speech therapists, medical social workers and home health aides who assist with bathing. The physician orders a home health evaluation. A clinician from the home health agency will then make an appointment with the patient and family to evaluate the patient. The patient's physician is always aware of what clinicians are involved and approves the plan of treatment for the patient.
What is the goal of home health?
Most of the time home health services are short term and driven by specific goals. An example of a goal may be, "patient's wound will heal without complication" or "patient will return to prior level of functioning". The admitting clinician (the first to come to the home to interview the patient) will discuss with the patient and/or family members what does the patient want to achieve. Most of the time the patient's goal is to return to their prior level of independence. Patients are most fearful of getting sick and then being forced into a nursing home. The job of the home health team is to provide whatever teaching or treatments are needed to keep the patient in the home environment as long as possible.
Examples of patients who are short-term
There are many patients who may benefit from home health nursing services. Some examples include; a patient with a new diagnosis such as diabetes. A new diabetic requires teaching about their diet, the use of insulin, symptoms which require early medical intervention and the use of a glucometer. Another example is a patient with a wound or ulcer. The home health nurses will provide the supplies necessary to treat the wound and provide teaching to family who to dress the wound. The nurse will then make regular, weekly visits to monitor healing and provide reports to the physician. A third example is a patient who was sent home on new medications. There usually isn't time to provide adequate teaching about these new medications while the patient is hospitalized. These are examples of patients who require short term care.
Example of patients who are long term
For some patients, their needs are long term or chronic. Example of a patient with long term needs may include a patient with a foley or suprapubic catheter. These catheters are sometimes needed for weeks or months at a time or may be permenant and necessitate monthly nursing visits to change them.
Who pays for home health services?
Medicare, private insurance companies and state assistance programs will pay the bill of home health services provided two stipulations are met: The first is there must be a skilled need. Nurses and therapists can only come to the home to do nursing or therapy tasks. Once there is no longer any medical or functional problem, or that problem becomes chronic with no possibility of improvement, the clinician must discharge the patient. The second stipulation is the patient must be home bound. Once the patient is well enough to get "out and about" home health services must come to an end. The patient then may need to go to an outpatient clinic for additional care or therapy.
No one likes to be in the hospital. Everyone wants to stay in their own homes. Home health services bring a little of the hospital to the patient. It is cost efficient for the payers while still providing health services to the patient. It is a win for everyone.
