Leveraging tech in-home care
Technological transformations like remote patient monitoring, telehealth, and artificial intelligence are creating a virtual platform that aids in-home care. Pandemic-induced needs played the pivotal catalyst role in activating the technology that existed but was not abundantly used earlier.
New, focused, and improved solutions that changed the care delivery model while emphasizing safety and standards of patient care were developed. Hospital at home programs is one such initiative that allows treating patients at their homes instead of moving them to a hospital.
With the aid of RPM devices and telehealth services, healthcare software are helping old-aged patients feel nurtured and looked after, just as they would in an actual hospital or clinic. Therapy and reviewing the treatment course during home visits are helping in engaging the patients with positive reinforcements. When a nurse visits an ailing patient and reassures them with hope, the patient’s will to focus on taking the right measures increases. This ultimately leads to improved health outcomes thereby lowering the costs for the entire healthcare industry.
Through tech-enabled tools like data integration, patient information is collected and transmitted to the clinician’s office through remote wearable devices. If there is a relapse or deterioration in the health of the patient, the clinician’s office that is observing the data can take measures to stabilize the patient and avoid any major adversity. Home care can follow up with the patients and guide them about their conditions or progress in their treatment plans.
Factors influencing hospital home programs
- Changes in healthcare
The healthcare industry has changed considerably in the last few years. Improved solutions enable serving patients in the comfort of their houses where they are in their comfort zone and are surrounded by familiar people who can support them.
When a patient care model can be delivered at home for ambulatory patients who are critical, then it takes major stress off the healthcare system by reducing the incidental costs that occur for in-person admissions in a hospital. Without disrupting the safety standards, the home care model helps in treating patients at home.
- Reduces the burgeoning healthcare costs
Home care can be effective when RPM and telehealth services are used to engage the patients by guiding them consistently about their conditions and progress. Aging patients with chronic ailments find it difficult to commute to the nearest clinic or hospital for their review consultations with the doctor.
As the healthcare industry has finally embraced technical tools, home healthcare has picked up growth and is the preferred route for both doctors and patients. With conducive factors that enable the route the advantages that home care offers to patients and healthcare facilities can no longer be ignored.
Benefits of the hospital home program
- Patient’s comfort zone
Any person is comfortable in their natural surroundings where they can be supported by their family. An elderly person may not be willing to sometimes go to a hospital for a checkup as they have to leave their pets for too long. Similar reasons stress aging patients, and they often don’t follow up with their clinicians. To reduce patient non-adherence and increase their engagement levels hospital-at-home programs are effective routes.
- Home assistance
A patient can receive the same level of treatment at home, and a caregiver can assist them with their everyday tasks and encourage them to continue with mobility exercises and maintain a healthy diet. A caregiver also gives the patient a change of dressing and assists with their care and hygiene. To have the best form of organization and communication between the caregiver and family, choosing home care rostering software is an important part of home care services.
- Break for families
Family members are often at the crossroads of earning for their day jobs and taking care of their seniors who are an important part of their life. With hospital-at-home programs, home caregivers give the much-required break for families. Caregivers are assigned for the day or round-the-clock services as selected by the patient and their family and agencies send trained staff to meet the requirements.
Conclusion:
Hospital at home programs can be effective only when trained caregivers are assigned to patients who are equipped to handle the technical transformations that are taking place in the industry. They need to be tech-savvy to help their patients use RPM devices and communicate with a patient’s clinician if necessary.
