04 Mar Home-Based Medical Care on the Rise
A new laptop, a used car, a trip to an all-inclusive resort, two VIP concert tickets for your favorite artist, a nest egg or investment, a trip to Disneyland, all of these things sound wonderful and are around the same price tag as just one night in the hospital, which averages around $2,000-$3,000 per night.
If you are in the hospital for something more serious than a one-night stay, it could add up fast and quickly deplete any savings an individual might have. This huge cost, combined with enabling technologies and evolving patient preferences, is creating pressure for health care organizations and health plans to think differently about how and where care is delivered.
Home-based medical care is on the rise, and many are starting to think outside the box for hospitalization and the cost of healthcare. Research shows skilled physicians and other clinicians are still delivering high-quality care in a home-based capacity but at a cost-savings. This has also proven to be especially beneficial for medicare-aged patients.
WHAT IS HOME-BASED CARE?
A home-based program could range from primary care all the way to urgent/high-risk, the latter including medically vulnerable patients who are often struggling with chronic diseases. Oftentimes these patients are considered the “invisible homebound” – an estimated 2 million frail, functionally impaired and vulnerable adults who:
- are unable to visit their primary physician’s office
- have severe functional impairments, disabilities and/or multiple chronic conditions
- may require palliative or end-of-life care
- often are not cared for by disease-specific management programs
- account for approximately half of the costliest 5% of patients
INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS WORK TOGETHER
Almost all home-based teams work in partnership to provide the patient with an all-encompassing spectrum of care. These program models can be used in both small and large healthcare organizations and practices to address the unique needs of the community. Teams can include:
- primary care physicians
- nurse practitioners
- physician assistants
- nurses
- social workers
- emergency medical technicians
- pharmacists
WHY IT’S SUCCESSFUL
With more than 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day, the 80-and older age group is the most likely to be homebound or home-limited. Currently, only about 12-percent of our nation’s two million home-limited patients receive home-based primary care. The modern-day “house call” allows primary care teams to treat even the most medically complex patients right in their homes. With technology advances such as electronic medical records, portable x-ray machines, ultrasound consoles, and portals to medical references and databases, providers can easily scan and transmit paperwork with remote access. This ease of access creates the same level of care as if treated in the typical office setting. Home-based primary care can also reduce medical emergencies and alleviate stress and other challenges for everyone involved in the patient’s care, including family members.
Foster Crown, LLC is a boutique physician recruitment firm that works closely with candidates to understand education, experience, capabilities, employment history and background to reduce the recruitment timeline. Time is a valuable commodity and we understand that ‘time is of the essence’ in meeting objectives. Call our office at 262.646.2860 to find out how Foster Crown can help you achieve your goals.
A new laptop, a used car, a trip to an all-inclusive resort, two VIP concert tickets for your favorite artist, a nest egg or investment, a trip to Disneyland, all of these things sound wonderful and are around the same price tag as just one night in the hospital, which averages around $2,000-$3,000 per night.
If you are in the hospital for something more serious than a one-night stay, it could add up fast and quickly deplete any savings an individual might have. This huge cost, combined with enabling technologies and evolving patient preferences, is creating pressure for health care organizations and health plans to think differently about how and where care is delivered.
Home-based medical care is on the rise, and many are starting to think outside the box for hospitalization and the cost of healthcare. Research shows skilled physicians and other clinicians are still delivering high-quality care in a home-based capacity but at a cost-savings. This has also proven to be especially beneficial for medicare-aged patients.
WHAT IS HOME-BASED CARE?
A home-based program could range from primary care all the way to urgent/high-risk, the latter including medically vulnerable patients who are often struggling with chronic diseases. Oftentimes these patients are considered the “invisible homebound” – an estimated 2 million frail, functionally impaired and vulnerable adults who:
- are unable to visit their primary physician’s office
- have severe functional impairments, disabilities and/or multiple chronic conditions
- may require palliative or end-of-life care
- often are not cared for by disease-specific management programs
- account for approximately half of the costliest 5% of patients
INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS WORK TOGETHER
Almost all home-based teams work in partnership to provide the patient with an all-encompassing spectrum of care. These program models can be used in both small and large healthcare organizations and practices to address the unique needs of the community. Teams can include:
- primary care physicians
- nurse practitioners
- physician assistants
- nurses
- social workers
- emergency medical technicians
- pharmacists
WHY IT’S SUCCESSFUL
With more than 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day, the 80-and older age group is the most likely to be homebound or home-limited. Currently, only about 12-percent of our nation’s two million home-limited patients receive home-based primary care. The modern-day “house call” allows primary care teams to treat even the most medically complex patients right in their homes. With technology advances such as electronic medical records, portable x-ray machines, ultrasound consoles, and portals to medical references and databases, providers can easily scan and transmit paperwork with remote access. This ease of access creates the same level of care as if treated in the typical office setting. Home-based primary care can also reduce medical emergencies and alleviate stress and other challenges for everyone involved in the patient’s care, including family members.
Foster Crown, LLC is a boutique physician recruitment firm that works closely with candidates to understand education, experience, capabilities, employment history and background to reduce the recruitment timeline. Time is a valuable commodity and we understand that ‘time is of the essence’ in meeting objectives. Call our office at 262.646.2860 to find out how Foster Crown can help you achieve your goals.