Deliver cost-effective care to patients

Hospital bills aren’t for the faint-hearted. The average American spends $12,910 on health care a year. Those numbers would be much higher without home health care. Patients can access clinical services without in-house hospital fees. A study showed home health care could cost up to 52% less than hospital care. Lower labor costs, fewer lab tests and specialist visits make it much more cost-efficient.

Minimize readmissions

Readmissions diminish patient outcomes and can pose a health risk to a hospital’s finances. High readmission rates are costly. Penalties can average up to $217,000 a year. Better transitional care is a welcome side effect of home health care. Care plans, vitals monitoring, and medication and therapy compliance combined with in-person checks by licensed professionals improve care coordination and boost recovery times.

Monitor patient health

Prevention is better than cure. Monitoring health parameters helps to manage symptoms better. Remote patient monitoring devices and clinical staff check-ups help track medications and health parameters.

Integration with EHR software allows staff to update records to reflect real-time patient health changes and modify care plans accordingly.

Provide personalized care

Hospitals are suffering from chronic understaffing. It’s difficult for patients to access one-on-one care and personalized attention in those settings. Home visits allow caregivers to focus on one patient at a time, attune themselves to specific needs and follow tailored care plans.

Increase patient independence and boost quality of life

Cocooning patients in a hospital room isn’t always the best route to recovery. The comfort of familiar surroundings and daily routine can help improve patient independence. Many home health agencies will assess the safety and accessibility of home environments to improve patient comfort.

Reduce labor costs and caregiver churn

Home health care allows more flexibility with caregiver hours and part-time employment. Caregivers can choose their preferred hours and locations, increasing satisfaction and minimizing churn.

Use home health software to streamline the scheduling process, fill shifts quicker and minimize overtime. Optimize resources by utilizing both clinical and non-clinical staff based on the situation.

Improve patients’ mental and physical health

Home care gives patients access to 24/7 care and clinical assistance, if necessary. Physical activity and being around friends and family can boost patient moods and improve mental health. Companionship from caregivers reduces loneliness and allows family members to take breaks.

Make quicker interventions in case of emergencies.

At the end of the day, what matters is the patient’s health. Careful monitoring of patient vitals through remote devices and clinical staff visits can alert agencies to patient state changes and ensure timely medical interventions. In-house visits also help track medication and therapy compliance.

FAQs

What Is Home Health Care?

Home health care is skilled care provided at home by licensed medical professionals. It can cover various services, including wound care, injections, vitals monitoring and speech and physical therapy.

Are Home Health Care and Home Healthcare the Same Thing?

Grammatically speaking, home health care is a course of action taken in a home environment to sustain and improve a patient’s health. Healthcare is an institution or entity providing medical services and can also refer to medical services an organization or country offers.

What’s the Difference Between Home Care and Home Health Care?

Home health care is clinical care administered by licensed practitioners in a home setting. Home care is an in-home professional support service that may include non-medical care. For example, home care could involve cleaning, cooking and shopping, whereas home health care would be post-operational care, administering medication and therapy.

Who Qualifies for Home Health Care?

To qualify for home health care via Medicare, a physician must classify a patient as homebound. Essentially, patients with difficulty leaving the house without assistance due to an injury or illness. Assistance includes aid from another individual or a supportive device, like a cane or a wheelchair. Patients who require periodic skilled nursing or therapy services may also qualify.

What Is Home Health Care Software?

Home health care software is a point-of-care medical management solution designed to streamline and centralize EHR, clinical and administrative processes. Also known as home health software, it helps optimize the day-to-day activities of home health agencies, managed care organizations and nursing facilities.

Home health solutions usually include the following features:

• Scheduling
• EVV
• Point-of-care Documentation
• Billing
• Payroll
• Mobile App
• Reporting and Analysis
• Claims Management
• Care Plans

How Do I Select a Home Health Care System?

The right home health care system will vary based on your agency’s requirements. Whether you run hospice care, a rehabilitation and therapy-based, private duty or home care organization, you’ll need different features to meet your needs.

An excellent way to get a read on popular solutions is to use your industry contacts to see what home care agencies like yours are using. Our free comparison report will help you see how those solutions weigh up against your requirements. Next, you can ask vendors about deployment options, available integrations, data migration, compliance and security.

Accessibility is also crucial, as you’ll need to contact caregivers, document point-of-care updates and handle scheduling issues remotely. Additionally, you may need software that fits the unique EVV requirements of your state.

What Home Health Care Trends Should I be Aware of?

Trends to be aware of include:

Labor Shortages: Healthcare faces a labor crisis exacerbated by the pandemic and an exodus to different fields. Minimizing administrative tasks and optimizing clinical labor allocation help bridge the gap between supply and demand.

Increased Regulation: CMS is implementing OASIS-E changes that restructure the OASIS assessment, modify Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements (SPADEs and introduce new assessments to indicate moods and mental health.

Technology and Automation: Home health, EMR and EVV software are essential to maintain compliance, compensate for labor shortages and meet increasing demand for home health services. Minimize double entry and time-consuming admin with electronic records, automation and digital care plans and notes.

Which patients most frequently require home health services?

Patients may require home care after being discharged from a hospital, rehab center or acute care facility. A certified physician must also prescribe home health care services for palliative or hospice care.

Wondering which software vendor is right for you? We’d love to help! Contact our team for individualized recommendations by messaging [email protected] or via phone at 855-850-3850.