Baltimore Study: Homecare Candidates Only Getting Half the Story?
According to AARP, 82% of people would like to remain in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes for as long as they are able. But according to a recent survey, more than 40 percent of hospital case managers may only provide information regarding private duty in-home care services if it is requested by the patient at discharge. The results of this survey indicate that more Mid-Atlantic residents should be provided with in-home care information in order to fully recover from their hospital stay.
The survey was completed by hospital case managers in attendance at 7th Annual ACMA Maryland Chapter of Hospital Case Management Conference, held on September 26, 2009 in Columbia, Maryland. The survey found that 54 percent of Mid-Atlantic hospital case managers discharge 6-25 patients per week. While the majority of survey participants responded that they do not provide their patients with information on in-home and follow-up care, 24 percent always provide information to their patients upon discharge, regardless if they know that the patient can afford such care. Sixteen percent of the survey respondents stated that they only provide referrals if they know that the patient can afford this care.
When selecting which private duty homecare agency to refer a patient to, hospital case managers ranked the following criteria from most to least importance:
1. Ability to provide a caregiver on short notice
2. Feedback from the patient or family on the last referral
3. Ability to always provide the entire referral list to the patient
4. RN on staff to supervise and develop the plan of in-home care
5. Ability to coordinate with Medicare agencies
6. Availability when called
Lynn Berberich, BrightStar Baltimore homecare provider, who provides homecare and medical staffing in Baltimore County, was surprised by the survey results. "A very large portion of private duty in-home care is not paid for by the patient," Berberich stated. "It is the family members who individually or as a group pay for the care of their loved one and it is important for all patients who are discharged from the hospital to consider continued in-home care."
According to a Rand Corporation study released in 2005, patients who underwent hip and knee replacements were less likely to end up in more costly institutions when they were discharged directly from the hospital to homecare after surgery. The study also revealed that home-based rehabilitation saved patients $3,500 to $8,000 per episode over similar treatment provided by skilled nursing or inpatient rehab. "The results of the BrightStar survey show that more patients who have been hospitalized... may not be receiving the proper information about in-home care services to fully recover," stated Barnett Lloyd, BrightStar Rockville homecare provider.