Home healthcare refers to skilled care that is delivered directly to a patient’s residence. It’s typically provided by licensed medical professionals such as nurses, therapists and aides.
Home health care can often be a more cost-effective alternative than moving into a hospital or nursing home, and it can help patients recover from surgery or other serious illness or injury.
Home health aides
A home health aide is an integral component of the home healthcare system. Their services allow those suffering from physical and mental conditions to remain at home instead of having to move into nursing homes or other care facilities.
A qualified home health aide assists clients with a range of tasks, such as bathing and dressing for personal needs. Furthermore, they can provide companionship, meal preparation and light housekeeping duties.
Home health aides receive training that equips them with the skills needed to provide personalized care. By offering tailored attention, these workers ensure patients feel comfortable and safe from infection or disease.
Nurses
Nurses play an integral role in home healthcare. They visit patients at their residences and offer them a range of services, such as wound care, medication management and therapy.
They also assess a patient’s general health and detect any changes that require immediate attention. They communicate these developments to their patients’ physicians and families.
Home healthcare nursing careers offer nurses who desire more independence and autonomy in their day-to-day work. It may be particularly beneficial to those nurses who have struggled with traditional hospital jobs that involve long shifts with little breaks or significant stress levels.
Home healthcare is one of America’s fastest-growing industries, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 5 percent from 2014-2024. This trend can be attributed to seniors living longer and wanting to remain in their own homes as long as possible.
Dietitians
Dietitians use scientific research, nutrition, and behavioral science to promote health and prevent disease. Additionally, they assist patients in creating dietary plans to manage illness, injuries, and surgery.
Clinical dietitians work in hospitals, clinics, nursing care facilities and other health care institutions to provide personalized nutrition therapy and counseling to patients and their families. They may also develop or deliver public education programs on nutrition and health topics.
They collaborate with other allied health professionals, such as physicians, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, nurses, dietetic technicians and psychologists. As part of their role they complete nutrition assessments; plan, implement and evaluate nutrition interventions; and ensure all documentation in the medical record is completed accurately and completely.
Laboratory tests
Lab tests give healthcare professionals essential data to help them make critical decisions. They can identify health risks, accurately diagnose illnesses, create treatment plans and track conditions over time.
Accessing laboratory services for those living in marginalized communities or those who have medical conditions that make traveling to the clinic difficult, can be a real obstacle. Not only is it costly and requires time off work or finding child care for patients with young children, but it may also require financial hardships.
As more healthcare is moved into the home, there is a growing need for fast, user-friendly testing options that facilitate this transition. POC diagnostics can provide fast results that enable clinical personnel to respond more promptly and effectively to patient demands.
Medicine and medical equipment
Home healthcare medicine and equipment play a significant role in improving the lives of patients. It helps them manage their chronic health conditions and keeps track of their general wellbeing.
Medical devices range from basic first aid kits to sophisticated diagnostic instruments like X-ray machines and insulin pumps. These aids enable doctors to accurately diagnose diseases and track the progress of treatments.
In developing countries, more and more healthcare devices are being used by lay people at home due to rising hospital visit costs and shortages of nurses and other healthcare professionals.