Has The Pandemic Changed The Home Health Care Industry?
There has been a lot of focus on hospitals and also old age homes with the COVID-19 pandemic putting strain on these resources. The one area that has not received the focus it deserves to have is the home health care industry. Much has changed in this industry and home health care workers have had to adapt to these challenging times to protect themselves, their patients, and the community.
Focus on Home Health Care
Home health care providers play a very real role in a pandemic like we are currently having. Some people with less severe injuries or illnesses will opt not to go to hospitals as they are afraid of getting exposed to COVID-19 at a hospital. Some hospitals are also under pressure and there might not be enough capacity to quickly attend to all patients. Home health care providers also help alleviate the pressure on primary health care like hospitals. This way the primary health care facilities can focus on more serious cases.
Another factor influencing home care is that older people are opting not to go to nursing homes because they see it as an increased risk for COVID-19 exposure. There have been numerous news stories about nursing homes and COVID-19 outbreaks. The risks of death or serious illness are also higher in older people. This makes home care a more popular option. Another factor to consider is that older people might not be as mobile and traveling to a health care provider can be problematic. The health care provider can in many instances travel a lot easier than the older patient and thus it is a better solution.
Increased Demand For In-Home Treatment
There has been increased demand for in-home treatment by care aides, nurses, physiotherapists, and various other home care providers. Physiotherapy treatment at your home is a very convenient way to avoid going to a hospital or healthcare practice where you might come into contact with other patients and potentially COVID-19. Nurses, occupational therapists, and carers can all do in-home health care. In the USA there has in most regions been an undersupply and high demand for in-home health care. One issue that is often raised though is what exactly health insurance will cover compared to in-hospital care.
What Is Telehealth?
Telehealth is another related area of interest. Some health care services can also be provided online through video calls or even just telephone calls. Regulations have recently changed to allow more health care providers to make use of telehealth solutions. This can’t be done for all patients, but the synergy between telehealth and then supplementing it with some at-home care is looking promising. As an example, a doctor could do a consultation by video call and then get a registered nurse to do a follow-up visit to the patient if needed. This way the patient will not have to go to a hospital or clinic if it is not a serious condition or illness.
Safety
The safety of at-home health care providers, patients, the family of patients, and the community is obviously a concern. Because home health care providers come into close contact with patients and may visit multiple homes in a day they might be seen as a risk for spreading COVID-19. Their own health might also be a concern as they come into contact with multiple people every day and thus their risk for exposure is seen as higher.
Personal protective equipment and following healthcare protocols are obviously the first steps in protecting both home healthcare providers as well as patients. Vaccines for healthcare workers are another layer in combating the spread of the virus. The last layer of defense against the health risks is regular testing of healthcare workers for COVID-19.
Objectively looking at the risks it should also be clear that the risks are in fact lower when comparing in-home health care to primary health care facilities like hospitals. Let us assume that the health care providers in both home care and primary care facilities follow the same PPE and health care protocols. The health care provider still has close contact with patients in both scenarios. Thus far the two options look very similar in risk profile. The difference is however that patients at hospitals and clinics are also often in relatively close proximity to each other. Think about reception areas and waiting rooms. This increases the risk at hospitals and clinics.
Home health care is an essential part of the healthcare industry. It is the best solution in many cases. Home health care can alleviate pressure on primary health care facilities. Often patients will prefer home health care to primary health care facilities. For many people, in-home care options will be a less stressful option to get the health care they need. Lower stress can also influence health outcomes for the patients.
