The Future of Home Health Care in a Post-Pandemic World
THE FEAR OF COVID-19 AND THE FUTURE OF HOME HEALTH CARE
COVID-19 has taken millions of lives in a short span of time and has induced permanent fear among those who have suffered from this chronic illness.
With the continuous spread of the coronavirus disease across the globe, more and more people are reluctant to pay visits to health care centers in fear of contracting the disease.
The novel coronavirus has also severely affected frontline health care workers and staff members in medical care facilities, accounting for 38% of all deaths worldwide.
This has raised serious concerns among patients, especially the elderly, about health care facilities in a post-pandemic world.
Additionally, due to their advanced age and pre-existing illnesses, the elderly and aged patients who require long-term care are more prone to developing severe ailments in case of contracting the virus. This is mainly due to the physiological changes because of ageing and the impending risks in their health conditions.
HOW IS HOME HEALTH CARE BENEFITTING THE OLDER PATIENTS AND THEIR CARETAKERS
As the coronavirus spreads fear among people, the future of home health care appears to seem brighter in a post-pandemic world. The recipients of home care services are provided with effective in-home care such as rehabilitation and skilled nursing, under the guidance of professional physicians.
Furthermore, patients are also delivered a wide range of health care products like injections, chronic wound care supplies, therapeutic supervision, nutrition and intravenous treatment, and a lot more. These can serve as a life-line for elderly patients and those at risk of serious problems from the coronavirus disease.
As the COVID-19 pandemic began, hospital operating margins dropped significantly by 150%. Many health care facilities witnessed changes, such as elective surgery cancelations, reduced access to specialty care and diagnostic testing for COVID-19 patients, and the dismissal of nurses. Plus, patients were reluctant to trust hospitals due to the escalating fear of contracting the disease.
Even now, COVID-19 cases are still rampant, and hospitals are anticipated to bear a hefty burden of risky patients. A research study predicts that around 20% of the COVID-19 patients are expected to require hospitalization, with 5% of those who will need critical care. Thus, over-burdening the hospitals and increasing the spread of disease.
Hence, home care provides a crucial benefit in this regard as in-home care by professional caregivers can help save lives and reduce the impending burden on hospital staff. Additionally, the pandemic has brought a prominent increase in the Medicare beneficiaries, raising its population to over 61 million in the U.S. only. Moreover, these figures are expected to increase to 79 million by 2030.
HOME CARE IS FOSTERING TELEHEALTH SERVICES
Prior to COVID-19, telehealth was only limited to patients who couldn’t travel to see their doctors; however, home care is playing a key role in boosting telehealth services. In fact, many patients are opting for telehealth services to protect themselves from catching the virus.
Besides, the telehealth sector is coming up with innovative ideas and solutions for improving the home health care system, such as real-time remote visits and electronic access to health records, which are likely to improve coordination between patients and doctors.
Furthermore, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has also been actively evaluating the efficacy of home care by providing regulatory waivers to further enhance the health services. Apart from that, the telehealth industry has experienced a lift since COVID-19 with its soaring 1 billion visits in the pandemic-affected year 2020.
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 IN HOME HEALTH CARE
Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the future of home care services and led to the growth of the home health care industry. It is also a reason for broadening people’s horizons towards utilizing home care services.
With the upending situation across the globe, home health care is being preferred by patients in different countries across the world. Not only that, the home care industry has rendered people to opt for timely check-ups as research claims that 43% of patients avoided visiting hospitals out of fear during the pandemic.
The CDC report claims a 42% decrease in hospital visits from March to April 2020, causing excessive delays in treatments amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. People attributed their delay in seeking medical treatments to the fear of contracting the disease. Thus, the high demand for home-based care has triggered interest among patients and physicians.
HOME CARE SERVES AS A COST-EFFECTIVE HEALTH SOLUTION
Apart from the rising opportunities, the cost-effectiveness of home care services is also worth noting. An estimate by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) claims that Medicare saves around $375 million per annum owing to reduced hospital facilities. Furthermore, home care services can be 75% less costly than nursing home care.
Home care also saves re-admission and other hospitalization expenses such as rent and inpatient service charges, which can add up to a hefty surcharge. Besides, it’s more of a comfortable option for the elderly and an easy way for their caretakers to look after them at an affordable price tag. Therefore, the future of home care in a post-pandemic world holds bright chances for growth in the health care industry and offers many benefits for its users.
