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Home Care
Home Health Initiatives
Studies have shown that 44% of patients discharged from the
hospital need home care. In additiion, 5% to 10% of medical
practice patients recieve home care services. For every patient
in a nursing home, three patients who are more severely impaired
are cared for in their own homes. An estimated 20% of patients
older than 65 years have functional impairments with related
home care needs, and physicians may be unaware of these needs
during the typical office visit.
House Call Program
The goal of the House Call Program is to deliver complete
routine medical services to homebound persons who cannot visit
a doctor’s office because of limited mobility or transportation
constraints.
The benefits of the House Call Program to patients, the hospital,
and the community can be considerable. Patients benefit because
at-home care helps identify new problems early and allows
appropriate referrals to be made in a timely manner. The program
also enhances patients’ ability to live longer independently
and limits or delays the use of emergency department visits,
hospitals, and nursing homes; it also allows death with dignity.
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