Home Health
By Joan Weems, RN, Victory Home Health, Texoma LIVING WELL Magazine
Home health is one of the most unique kinds of health care available. I got my first introduction to home health care when I was in nursing school in 1984. I went on home visits with the nurse from the home health care agency during my clinical rotation. This was the most incredible experience I had ever had. The nurse and I took vital signs, assessed a surgical incision, performed wound care, and checked eyes that had had cataract surgery to be sure that the lens were in place. I was so excited at the possibility of taking care of people in their home. But I lived in a rural small town, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, and this was when performing my clinicals in Dallas. Finally in 1985, home health care came to rural Tishomingo, Oklahoma.
Today the purpose of home health care remains the same, though it also has many differences. Patients are sent home from the hospital much earlier than in 1984, due to changes in the way Medicare and insurance pay for hospital stays. This necessitates a more intense and higher level of care on the part of home health care agencies. Home Health Care nurses provide a wealth of diverse services to their patients.
SERVICES:
- Skilled Nursing
- Certified Home Health Aides
- Physical, Occupational, Speech Therapy
- Medical Social Services
- Assessments
- Diabetic Teaching/Care
- Wound Care
- Pre-fill Insulin Syringes
- Wound Vacs
- Administer Injections
- Teach Disease Processes
- Change Catheters
- Ostomy Care
- Patient/Family Education
- Medication Oversight and Teaching
- PICC Lines
- IV Infusions
- Central Line/Port Maintenance
- Pulse Oxcimetry
- Pain & Symptom Management
- Pediatric Care
- Cardiac/Pulmonary Care
- Pleural Effusion Vacs
- Bowel/Bladder Program
Home Health nurses have the knowledge and skill to provide these services and training to their many diverse patients/families.
To qualify for Medicare Home Health, one must:
- Be under the care of a physician
- Be homebound (trips away from home are infrequent, and of short duration and take a tasking effort to leave home)
- Require skilled services on an intermittent basis
Many challenges face the future of home health: the nursing shortage, the ever growing population of older adults, the generation of Baby Boomers, and a strained financial system. Medicare Rebasing (which will cut 3.5% each year for the next 4 years, total 14 % cut to revenue) stands to put 75% of home healths operating in the red by 2017, which means they will go out of business. The Sequestration (2% cut of revenue each year from 2013 through 2021) has put and will continue to put huge budget constraints on home health.
However, if everyone works together for a plan that will provide for the good of all, home health care can continue to be the finest care in America. Victory Home Health & Hospice is prepared to help you with any medical problems or healthcare questions you may have. We can help you after a hospital stay, teaching you about your diagnosis, new medications, diabetic help, wound care, therapy to strengthen you and get you back on your feet, and nursing staff to ensure you regain your independence as you recover from, or live with an illness or injury. New this year, we also offer the ADvantage program, which offers an Advantage provider and case management services to care for people safely in their homes who need a nursing home level of care.
We also have Victory Medical Equipment to meet your equipment needs. Victory Medical Equipment sells a variety of medical supplies, walkers, wheel chairs, scooters, beds, mattresses and more. Call us toll-free at 888-815-7922, and we will be happy to serve you.
