House Calls Make a Comeback
We like to think of ourselves as a group that focuses on our client’s quality of life at Encompass. We aim to make individuals more comfortable and live the way they wish to, whatever that might mean to them. Generally we find that what people want is to live in their own home. This trend is noticeable nation-wide in an increased demand for palliative care at home. A recent article from the New York Times, House Calls Are Making a Comeback, details the movement. The piece explains that home care is increasingly popular for many reasons:
- The majority of patients would rather be at home than in a hospital
- Home care is generally cheaper than hospital care
- According to Dr. Diane E. Meier, palliative care teams work with a patient’s regular doctors and specialists, to provide an added layer of support for people living with serious illness.
- Some doctors suggest that palliative care can prompt people with terminal illnesses to face the future realistically. The focus is on making them comfortable, rather than exposing them to painful and expensive treatments.
Hospitals find that palliative is worth it too:
- Government incentives have been established from programs such as Medicare and Medicaid to switch to less-expensive treatment, like palliative care
- Hospitals can be penalized for readmitting patients within 30 days after discharge by Medicare
- Dr. Steven Pantilat states, There is sufficient improvement in quality and costs to make the investment a good idea all around.
If palliative care is something you want to explore for yourself or a loved one, please contact us at Encompass.
Click here to read the full article House Calls Are Making a Comeback.
“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit http://www.encompass-home-health-care.com.”