Chronic diseases are broadly described as persistent health issues necessitating continuing or long-term medical attention. Managing Chronic diseases through homecare services provided by healthcare professionals substantially reduces care burdens on hospitals and primary care centers, ultimately benefiting the entire healthcare industry and the patients they serve.
The rise of home domiciliary care, also known as healthcare services, and other healthcare models like retail health is a remarkable shift in how medical services are delivered. These services are delivered under certain circumstances to a patient at home. They are designed to increase patients’ adherence to medication regimes, reduce the costs of chronic disease management, and lower complications that may arise from managing chronic diseases or from hospitalization.
Home Healthcare services are, therefore, critical to patients with chronic diseases, especially for the aging population, who need support, familiarity, and comfort. Population shifts mostly drive factors that influence the acceptance and utilization of home care services for chronic disease management.
Generally speaking, older adult patients are less likely to prefer receiving care for chronic disease management in a hospital or primary healthcare center and would rather have their full autonomy by living at home while receiving treatment. Other factors driving the adoption of home healthcare services include education, home ownership, and personal finances.
Improving Healthcare Accessibility and Patient Outcomes
Various reasons or situations led to the creation, evolution, and broad adoption of the home healthcare model, but improved patient outcomes and better accessibility to healthcare are at the forefront of those reasons.
With the advancement in technology, the implementation of home healthcare services has evolved with plans tailor-made to the specific needs of patients, which undoubtedly improves patient satisfaction and outcomes. The future of the model, when viewed from the context of the inevitable technological advancements, can only mean that things are certain to get better for all stakeholders in the sector.
Another way Home Health care services contribute to improved patient outcomes in chronic disease management is by streamlining hospital admissions or recoveries, especially when a patient requires additional support to recover fully after a hospital stay.
Home healthcare services, such as those provided by therapists, home health aides, nurses, and others, are crucial for the effective and efficient functioning of this health model. Therefore, these resources are also very important to achieving the objective of better accessibility and outcomes. Training and re-training, fair or adequate remuneration, and good working conditions, among other things, are important elements that must be provided for these critical stakeholders.
Domiciliary services not only address physical health but also promote emotional well-being through companionship, which arises when patients have more opportunities for family visits, interactions with friends, and connections with neighbors. This helps combat loneliness by helping patients maintain a sense of connectedness.
The Economic, Social, and Health Impact of Healthcare at Home
In assessing the economic impact of Home health care services on chronic disease management, it is important to note that patient satisfaction and the outcome of the health intervention or service are key performance indicators. Perhaps for this reason and others, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has a strategy of moving all or most of its funding models to value-based purchasing programs from a fee-for-service (FFS) basis.
The trend is also shifting as more older and younger patients appear interested in personalized services. This is also a driver in the growth of home healthcare services, which is also due to their relatively lower cost, which is in sharp contrast to the high-cost expenditures prevalent within hospital care.
Patients’ satisfaction levels are also higher with home healthcare services due to the holistic support they receive in a comfortable environment. It is worth mentioning that home healthcare services can reduce the financial burden on healthcare systems by reducing hospital admissions and better allocating resources.
Home healthcare services are also evolving, allowing patients to receive care that results in fewer complications. Technology plays a major role in the adoption and effectiveness of home healthcare services, including smart sensors and other remote monitoring devices, which ultimately reduce costs and improve treatment effectiveness. Because of their convenience, home healthcare services are particularly beneficial to the elderly and physically challenged.
As the home care service industry grows, it continually adapts to the needs of patients for high-quality low-cost care and fulfills an important mandate of providing critical healthcare delivery to patients who are either managing chronic conditions or recovering from hospitalization as a result of acute illnesses.
Home health care services are crucial in supporting a patient’s transition from hospital to home by providing the necessary needed services. They will often collaborate with skilled nursing services, medical facilities, or other medical professionals to support the patient’s transition to their home health care.
Final Thoughts
All indications are that the home healthcare industry will continue to grow in the years to come. With advancements in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, 5G broadband internet, and other technologies, the future of the subsector, and in fact, the entire health industry, looks bright. Then, when you factor in the attempts by various organizations like the CMS to bring down the cost of healthcare in the U.S., one can only conclude that even brighter days lie ahead.
Published By: Aize Perez
