This article is part of the HHCN+ membership
One of the promotional problems facing home health care is that most people don't even understand the difference between home health care and home health care, much to the chagrin of industry veterans in both fields. . But in the future, those same leaders are bullish on integrating these two types of care.
Yes, home health care and home health care are different services. But can they join forces and open the door to the world of value-based care? Many organizations already offer both services, and referrals are occurring across these segments. Masu.
However, a growing number of healthcare professionals believe that home care and home health care will ultimately complement each other. They believe that each type of care can enhance the other. Especially for people with chronic illnesses.
Griswold CEO Mike Slupecki first brought this up to me at HHCN's Home Care Conference many years ago. Griswold is a personal care provider looking to expand its reach and value.
After all, Mr. Slupecki previously worked for Interim HealthCare, a large-scale provider of home health and home care services.
“The way we talk to them is to have them refer their customers,” Srupecki said last year. “They are affected by customer satisfaction scores, so we are going to help them with their scores. They are affected by acute hospital admissions and emergency department visits. We are the eyes and ears. I feel that I can become
More momentum is building around this idea. Leaders may have known for some time that this concept works, but there are now more opportunities than ever to demonstrate the value of crossovers.
That's the topic of this week's members-only, exclusive HHCN+ update.
combine the two
In recent years, home care companies have taken different paths when it comes to diversifying their services. Some companies are adding service lines in an attempt to provide complete continuity within the home. Some people have quit their jobs to focus solely on home health care or home care.
However, for the purposes of this conversation, that doesn't matter.
Organizations with home care and home health capabilities can accomplish this in-house. Those who have one or the other can partner with other companies that can do things they can't do on their own.
Addus HomeCare Corp. (NASDAQ: ADUS) is a great example. The company's home health division is small, but the company is focused on growing it. This is because the company feels that home medical care is the core of the company's value-based care strategy.
“When we think about home health care, we don't want to get caught up in the fact that the next year or two may be a little tough,” Adas CEO Dirk Allison said last year. “We are thinking long-term and this is a very good part of the business that we need for Addus.”
That's why Adas has acquired assets like Tennessee Quality Care, a large home health care asset, during an M&A downturn.
On the same day, Adas Chief Operating Officer Brad Bickham said the health plan is “very bullish” on models where home health is layered on top of personal care in certain markets.
Choice Health at Home CEO David Jackson said no matter how much the company expands its service lines in the future, home health care will remain a focus for the same value-based reasons.
“I think the quality asset of home health is a premium in post-acute care,” he told me in September.
A value-based treasure trove
Home care can begin before home health care, after home health care, or both. Adus believes there is value in any approach.
“We really believe we're at a point where we can sit down and sit down with some payers who are excited about value-based care and show them what we can do for personal care in conjunction with home health care.” “Allison said.
Amy Harrison, president of Vanderbilt Home Care Services, recently explained to me her desire for this type of care arrangement.
“We would love to work together to create a chronic disease management program that leverages not only nursing therapy, but also hourly care,” she said. “At least for the first few days when these high-risk patients come home from the hospital. And I think that's my dream: to actually integrate our services and be able to reimburse it. That way we can keep these people out of the hospital with supportive care and interdisciplinary teams working together on an intermittent and hourly basis.”
Currently, traditional Medicare is not set up to reimburse such arrangements. But even in traditional Medicare, home health providers can assist home health providers in value-based settings and metrics based on the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) model.
But the real opportunity lies in managed care.
Health plans that are proactive about both home health and home care can significantly reduce hospital readmissions and increase medical loss ratios (MLR).
“There will continue to be a focus on better integrating clinical care and home care services and supports,” Help at Home President Tim O'Rourke recently told Home Healthcare News. spoke. “Identifying ways to link home care and medical care can help address gaps in care by focusing on social determinants of health (SDoH) and other health-related social needs. Additionally, communities prioritize comprehensive aging supports, including access to affordable housing, nutrition, pharmacy services, and transportation, to create an environment where older adults can live healthier lives at home. You must.”
