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Why Refer to Homecare

Because people want to be at home. Whether they are recuperating from surgery or a hospitalization; homecare allows your patients to return home sooner and recover in the comfort and security of their own home.

The National Institutes of Health recently released a study demonstrating that discharging patients from hospitals into homecare not only improves outcomes for elderly heart failure patients, but also cuts costs. (Journal of the American Geriatric Society, May 2004)

According to the research, homecare saved Medicare 38 percent in costs per patient, or $4,845 per patient in Medicare savings.

Think of our homecare nurse or therapist as an extension of your office staff. Homecare can be your eyes and ears before problems become serious.

Homecare alleviates the high costs and stress of long-term care and offers your patients comfort, flexibility, convenience and affordability. In 2001, Medicaid paid $31,600 for nursing home care compared to $12,780 it paid to have the same services provided in a person's home.

Homecare agencies in Pennsylvania will partner with you to provide a broad range of services including:

• 24/7 coverage, with a homecare aide
• Skilled and Non-Skilled Services, such as help with bathing, dressing and meal preparation
• Therapy (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy)

Telehealth, the remote monitoring of patients' vitals such as blood pressure, weight and pulse/ox is also offered by many homecare agencies across Pennsylvania.

Here are the homecare agency's responsibilities:

• Keep physician informed of significant changes in patient's conditions.
• Develop and carry out a plan of care in concert with the physician.
• Efficient and timely delivery of all Medicare/Medicaid documentation.
• Encourage physician visits when patient's condition warrants.

Physician:

• Refer and authorize patients to receive homecare. Make sure Medicare/Medicaid admissions guidelines are followed.
• Provide clinical information to agency with specific orders such as the need for PT, OT or telehealth.
• Establish protocol for preferences specific to management of information, hospital preference and approved consulting physicians.
• Completion of signed orders in a timely manner as required by state law.
• Notification of back-up coverage when physician is unavailable.

Shared Responsibility:

• Dedication to patient's well being.
• Current compliance with licensure and CMS (formerly HCFA) standards.
• Confidentiality.
• Facilitating delivery of quality care at home.
• Support to caregiver and family members at home.
• Offering a continuum of care.

Evidence-Based Research

PHA is partnering with the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine on a project to examine the degree to which contact with a patient in the home can reduce the likelihood of being admitted to the hospital or emergency department as well as how much it might improve self care knowledge and behavior related to their chronic illness. The research uses state-of-science protocols for the management of Diabetes and Congestive Heart Failure to guide the care of your patient in the home.

Latest News

Aging Releases End-of-Life Report

Today, the Dept. of Aging and the task force for quality end of life care unveiled a series of policy recommendations, designed to improve the quality of life for the seriously ill and dying Pennsylvanians, as well as their family and caregivers.

The report, Improving End-of-Life Experiences for Pennsylvanians, notes that nearly half of all deaths in the state occur in hospitals, despite the fact that nine out of ten people say they prefer to die at home. The task force made six recommendations, including designing and implementing demonstration projects to test new and innovative delivery and reimbursement systems to improve quality and continuity of care and raising public awareness of palliative care and end-of-life care services.

Susan Gerhart, AseraCare, and Gail Inderwies, Keystone Hospice represented PHA on the task force.