Kolhapur Home Service Association
Health Care in Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416001
Abstract
The Future of Home Health project sought to support transformation of home health and home-based care to meet the needs of patients in the evolving U.S. health care system. Interviews with key thought leaders and stakeholders resulted in key themes about the future of home health care. By synthesizing this qualitative research, a literature review, case studies, and the themes from a 2014 Institute of Medicine and National Research Council workshop on “The Future of Home Health Care,” the authors articulate a vision for home-based care and recommend a bold framework for the Medicare-certified home health agency of the future. The authors also identify challenges and recommendations for achievement of this framework.
Keywords: home health, home-based care, hospital at home, hospice, palliative care, technology, workforce, quality
Introduction
America is experiencing a dramatic shift in demographics, and in 2019, people older than 65 years will outnumber those younger than five. As Americans age and live longer, increasing numbers of them will live with multiple chronic conditions, such as diabetes or dementia, and functional impairments, such as difficulty with the basics of life like mobility and managing one’s household. One of the greatest health care challenges facing our country is ensuring that older Americans with serious chronic illness and other maladies of aging can remain as independent as possible. Our success with this challenge will help ensure that Americans age with dignity in a manner that meets their expectations, preferences and care needs. The financial health of our federal and state governments also hangs in the balance because of the implications for Medicare and Medicaid costs. Meeting this challenge will require envisioning the potential value of home-based health care, creating a pathway for home-based care to maximize its potential, and integrating it fully into the U.S. health care system.