In examining trends in the home health care industry for 2023 and beyond, Home Health News expects to see more investment in training and technology for higher-acuity patients. Why is this? Patients going to the hospital are expected to be sicker than usual this year, so when they are referred to home health agencies, these providers will be taking care of patients who need more care.
Data from CarePort, powered by WellSky, a provider of home health care software, shows that, in aggregate, the average patient discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and home health care is in worse shape than in 2019, resulting in an 11% increase in average comorbidity score. Common comorbidities include congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, neurological disorders, diabetes, and obesity, among other conditions.
In addition, while home health care has been the preferred option for increasingly more patients, COVID-19 has further accelerated the desire for individuals to get care at home, including post-acute care. Patients and their families, according to WellSky, are increasingly choosing to receive care at home rather than in institutional care settings such as nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Home health referrals accounted for 60% of patient referrals in March 2021. SNF referrals comprised the remaining 40%. As of September 2021, home health referrals remained at least 10% higher than in 2019, demonstrating the importance of carefully coordinating patient care in the home.
Dealing with sicker patients will necessitate new methods of providing home health care, potentially aided by better training or technology. As a result, home health care agencies are increasingly investing in care coordination, analytics, and staff training to serve higher-acuity patients.
Best practices and risk-management protocols must also be in place to care for higher-need patients to help mitigate potential professional liability exposures. Robust, ongoing patient safety consulting and training are among these practices.
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