Case Study Two
PROS & CONS OF HOME VISITS – PATIENTS VS CLINICIANS Home Visit Network ContributorAugust 28, 2023 In allied health, the challenge is to meet the demand for services. Australia’s 195,000 allied health professionals deliver an estimated 200 million health services annually. The allied health workforce is increasing rapidly as demand grows across the aged care and disability sectors. To cater for an aging population many allied health professionals prefer to provide direct health care services to patients in their own homes, providing high quality services which are amongst the best in the world. No more making appointments No more waiting rooms No more driving loved ones across town As with every choice in life, there are pros and cons for both the patient and their clinician. Fortunately, the pros far outweigh any previous challenges faced by either party. Today’s allied health providers can visit the homes of their patients and provide high-quality care when it is needed. Why Home Health Care is Necessary When recovering from an injury or simply dealing with an aging body, keeping patients comfortable and feeling as capable as possible is essential. For many, mobility restrictions drive patients in the direction of home-based care, providing comfort and safety in familiar surroundings. Allied Health professionals are trained and capable of helping patients and their loved ones learn more about the types of exercises and treatments they need. They also help with making adjustments to accommodate changes in mobility and health. Working with an allied health professional in the home helps patients become more confident in their day to day activities. It also helps focus on the fact that what they are doing is based on a plan that was created specifically for them – not for patients in general. PROS of PATIENTS utilising home health care 1. No waiting times. On any given day, therapists may not be sure what services they’ll be performing, leading to extended waiting times for their next patient. A home visit eliminates the inconvenience of not only travel time, but unexpected waiting room blow outs. 2. Less Exposure to outside elements. Reducing the risk of coming into contact with seasonal diseases or Covid- 19. No need to sit in a waiting room social distancing, not knowing if others have been exposed to, or infected with Covid-19, and are not yet symptomatic. 3. Family members are involved in care. When an allied health professional visits and treats a patient in their home, others can be present. Instead of being surrounded by clinicians in a medical facility, patients know that someone they explicitly trust can help to monitor the care being received. 4. One on one care is provided. Patients who receive home health care know that the professional they see is focused entirely on them during each session. 5. Staying home is easier. For people with mobility issues, even getting to appointments can be a challenge. 6. In-home health care allows patients to practice immediately. Doing an exercise in a wide-open space is one thing. Being able to utilise actual permanent surroundings is another thing entirely. By holding physical therapy sessions in a patients home, the therapist is able to demonstrate exactly what patients can do in the home for themselves, and how it should be done. 7. Cost effective. Home health care is recognised by most health providers as being more cost effective than traditional inpatient care, when comparing average payments across setting such as skilled nursing facilities, inpatient residential facilities, and long-term care hospitals. 8. Modern Technology. Dedicated websites give you access to all local in home services. Eftpos payments and Medicare rebates are all available via mobile phone apps. CONS of PATIENTS utilising home health care 1. Increased stress levels. Home is where a person should feel most comfortable. Sometimes having an outside influence enter it can cause people to feel uncomfortable and as if they are losing their independence. To overcome this, it’s important to remind patients that while they do in fact have people coming into their home, this is being done in order to ensure that they can remain at home for as long as possible. 2. The environment won’t be as structured as it would be in a facility. Sometimes home health care takes away the ability for the therapist to utilise all available tools. For example, equipment that won’t fit into a car, requiring a more thoughtful way to structure the sessions to meet needs. 3. A patient’s conditions or needs may not be met with what is available in the home. What works for one individual may not work for another. One common solution is to commence treatment outside of the home and when the condition has improved, re-evaluate and assess if home care has become a viable option. PROS of CLINICIANS utilising home health care 1. Self-employment opportunities. Work when you want… Part time, full time, weekends, Work around your normal hours of employment and build up your personal patient base. Take time off for the school pick up, school holidays, personal time, even holidays. 2. No down time. Unlike a clinical situation with gaps between appointments or “no shows”, all your patients are at home and therefore flexible when you attend. 3. Small overheads. None of the necessary overheads running a clinic… No rent, no electricity, no staff, no office furniture. 4. Virtual office. Book appointments, access and write medical notes, online accounting, submit Medicare/DVA claims, promote your services on social media, all without having to pay staff. 5. Mobile phone banking. Instant payment through Tap and Go using phone apps, send and receive faxes, and perhaps, best of all… Google maps! CONS of CLINICIAN’S utilising home health care 1. Longer visits. Compared to the clinical environment, care for patients at home requires longer visits. Home- based care practitioners see, on average, just five to seven patients a day. 2. Clinical safety. There are specific risks to clinician’s safety in the home setting. These include: environmental hazards such as infection control,
Case Study example 1
PROS & CONS OF HOME VISITS – PATIENTS VS CLINICIANS Home Visit Network ContributorAugust 28, 2023 In allied health, the challenge is to meet the demand for services. Australia’s 195,000 allied health professionals deliver an estimated 200 million health services annually. The allied health workforce is increasing rapidly as demand grows across the aged care and disability sectors. To cater for an aging population many allied health professionals prefer to provide direct health care services to patients in their own homes, providing high quality services which are amongst the best in the world. No more making appointments No more waiting rooms No more driving loved ones across town As with every choice in life, there are pros and cons for both the patient and their clinician. Fortunately, the pros far outweigh any previous challenges faced by either party. Today’s allied health providers can visit the homes of their patients and provide high-quality care when it is needed. Why Home Health Care is Necessary When recovering from an injury or simply dealing with an aging body, keeping patients comfortable and feeling as capable as possible is essential. For many, mobility restrictions drive patients in the direction of home-based care, providing comfort and safety in familiar surroundings. Allied Health professionals are trained and capable of helping patients and their loved ones learn more about the types of exercises and treatments they need. They also help with making adjustments to accommodate changes in mobility and health. Working with an allied health professional in the home helps patients become more confident in their day to day activities. It also helps focus on the fact that what they are doing is based on a plan that was created specifically for them – not for patients in general. PROS of PATIENTS utilising home health care 1. No waiting times. On any given day, therapists may not be sure what services they’ll be performing, leading to extended waiting times for their next patient. A home visit eliminates the inconvenience of not only travel time, but unexpected waiting room blow outs. 2. Less Exposure to outside elements. Reducing the risk of coming into contact with seasonal diseases or Covid- 19. No need to sit in a waiting room social distancing, not knowing if others have been exposed to, or infected with Covid-19, and are not yet symptomatic. 3. Family members are involved in care. When an allied health professional visits and treats a patient in their home, others can be present. Instead of being surrounded by clinicians in a medical facility, patients know that someone they explicitly trust can help to monitor the care being received. 4. One on one care is provided. Patients who receive home health care know that the professional they see is focused entirely on them during each session. 5. Staying home is easier. For people with mobility issues, even getting to appointments can be a challenge. 6. In-home health care allows patients to practice immediately. Doing an exercise in a wide-open space is one thing. Being able to utilise actual permanent surroundings is another thing entirely. By holding physical therapy sessions in a patients home, the therapist is able to demonstrate exactly what patients can do in the home for themselves, and how it should be done. 7. Cost effective. Home health care is recognised by most health providers as being more cost effective than traditional inpatient care, when comparing average payments across setting such as skilled nursing facilities, inpatient residential facilities, and long-term care hospitals. 8. Modern Technology. Dedicated websites give you access to all local in home services. Eftpos payments and Medicare rebates are all available via mobile phone apps. CONS of PATIENTS utilising home health care 1. Increased stress levels. Home is where a person should feel most comfortable. Sometimes having an outside influence enter it can cause people to feel uncomfortable and as if they are losing their independence. To overcome this, it’s important to remind patients that while they do in fact have people coming into their home, this is being done in order to ensure that they can remain at home for as long as possible. 2. The environment won’t be as structured as it would be in a facility. Sometimes home health care takes away the ability for the therapist to utilise all available tools. For example, equipment that won’t fit into a car, requiring a more thoughtful way to structure the sessions to meet needs. 3. A patient’s conditions or needs may not be met with what is available in the home. What works for one individual may not work for another. One common solution is to commence treatment outside of the home and when the condition has improved, re-evaluate and assess if home care has become a viable option. PROS of CLINICIANS utilising home health care 1. Self-employment opportunities. Work when you want… Part time, full time, weekends, Work around your normal hours of employment and build up your personal patient base. Take time off for the school pick up, school holidays, personal time, even holidays. 2. No down time. Unlike a clinical situation with gaps between appointments or “no shows”, all your patients are at home and therefore flexible when you attend. 3. Small overheads. None of the necessary overheads running a clinic… No rent, no electricity, no staff, no office furniture. 4. Virtual office. Book appointments, access and write medical notes, online accounting, submit Medicare/DVA claims, promote your services on social media, all without having to pay staff. 5. Mobile phone banking. Instant payment through Tap and Go using phone apps, send and receive faxes, and perhaps, best of all… Google maps! CONS of CLINICIAN’S utilising home health care 1. Longer visits. Compared to the clinical environment, care for patients at home requires longer visits. Home- based care practitioners see, on average, just five to seven patients a day. 2. Clinical safety. There are specific risks to clinician’s safety in the home setting. These include: environmental hazards such as infection control,