Could receiving medical care at home be an option for you?
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Most people get the medical care they need at a healthcare provider’s office, an outpatient center, or in the hospital. There are, however, a growing number of options that allow patients to receive a wide range of types of care without leaving home. From home infusion therapy and physical therapy to hospital at home services, receiving care at home is an option you may want to consider.
What types of care can you receive at home?
Probably the most common type of care people receive at home is telemedicine, which became much more widely used during the early years of the COVID pandemic. There are three types of care that fall into this category—synchronous (the provider talks with the patient in real time by computer or phone), asynchronous (data, images, or messages are recorded and shared with the provider later), and
remote patient monitoring (data such as blood glucose or blood pressure are sent electronically to the healthcare provider via devices the patient uses at home).
The field of telemedicine can include a wide spectrum of services, including:
- Virtual visits and follow-up care with primary care providers and specialists
- Mental healthcare
- Urgent care for minor health problems
Using internet connected remote monitoring devices like blood pressure cuffs, glucose monitors, ECG systems, pulse oximeters, and peak flow meters, providers can track and detect symptoms to manage chronic conditions and monitor recovery after surgery. These devices provide a greater amount of data compared to the usual scenario when data is only gathered at provider appointments or at the hospital, which can give providers a more complete picture of the patient’s health and help them develop a better tailored plan to manage and improve the patient’s condition.
Home infusion is another type of care that can be provided in a patient’s home. During home infusion services, medication is delivered through an IV or by injection. A wide range of conditions may be able to be treated with home infusion, including:
- Infections that don’t respond to oral antibiotics
- Cancer and cancer-related pain
- Dehydration
- Gastrointestinal conditions that require parenteral nutrition (nutrition delivered to the blood stream by IV)
- Immune system diseases such as Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis
Receiving infusions at home can be significantly less expensive and may be more convenient and comfortable for the patient. For people who are immunocompromised, receiving infusions at home can also reduce exposure to others who may be ill. Your healthcare provider and PinnacleCare Health Advisor can help you find out if home infusion services are appropriate and available for you.
Physical and occupational therapy can also be completed at home in some cases. Some physical therapy practices offer online and virtual therapy, while others arrange for therapists to come to patients’ homes to provide hands-on therapy sessions. At home therapy can be a good option for people in the early stages of recovery after joint replacement or a stroke, when traveling to and from a therapy facility is more difficult. At home therapy can also be more convenient since you don’t have travel time to and from the facility. Virtual and online therapy can have some potential downsides. For example, when the therapist is not in the room with you or you’re doing therapy on your own following a video, you may not receive as much guidance about your form as you perform the exercises, which can create a risk for injury or make the exercises less effective.
Hospital care outside the hospital
One of the more complex versions of care at home is known as hospital at home. This approach to care has been used overseas for years, but is relatively new in the U.S., partially because of the way insurance reimbursement to care providers is structured. The availability of hospital at home services increased during the pandemic when there were severe shortages of hospital beds.
With a hospital at home service, patients receive acute care in their own home. Johns Hopkins Medicine was a pioneer in the development of these services, offering a hospital at home program since 1994. The Hopkins program focused on elderly patients who were at higher risk of developing a hospital acquired infection or who refused to seek care at a hospital. Early data from the program found a number of benefits to this approach, including a 32% lower cost than in-hospital care, a shorter stay/length of care for patients, and a reduced incidence of complications.
Depending on who provides the hospital at home care, services can include:
- Daily visits from home health nurses who give medications, monitor your condition, and communicate with your healthcare provider
- Daily in-person or virtual visits with a healthcare provider
- Lab services, IV medications, oxygen, and medical equipment
- 24/7 phone access to providers
- Meals and nutrition support
- Mobile X-rays and ultrasound tests
- Physical, speech, and occupational therapy
The potential benefits of hospital at home services include less stress for patients, shorter length of care needed, decreased risk of infections, and more personalized care.
Frequently Asked Questions about receiving medical care at home
PinnacleCare is here to support your specific needs
Everyone’s healthcare needs are different, including treatment plans and where their care can take place. Your PinnacleCare Health Advisor can help you learn more about medical care at home, how it could be beneficial for your health needs, and even coordinate the logistics of your care. Connect with PinnacleCare today to learn more.
PinnacleCare is a member of the Sun Life Financial Inc. (“Sun Life”) family of companies. PinnacleCare and its employees do not diagnose medical conditions, recommend treatment options or provide medical care, and any information or services provided should not be considered medical advice. Any medical decisions should be made only after consultation with and at the direction of your medical provider. Any person or entity who provides health care services following a referral or other service provided does so independently and not as an agent or representative of PinnacleCare.
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