News and Market Developments
CNN: Who will care for older adults? We’ve plenty of know-how but too few specialists (11/2) – The article highlights the challenges in geriatric medicine and the shortage of geriatricians despite the growing older population in the United States. Nonmedical interventions, such as paid help in the home and training for family caregivers, are often as important as medical interventions in the care of older adults. The article also discusses innovative models like HaH, highlighting the importance of home-based care for seniors and touches on the new frontier of AI in developing a range of products to help older adults live independently at home.
HME News: Heard at the Summit: Scaling Hospital-at-Home, Understanding Payers & Weaponizing Data (11/1) – Atrium Health's HaH program is seeking to increase the number of patients in its program from 40 to 60 through a partnership with Best Buy Health. The program offers remote patient monitoring through Best Buy Health,. Homeoxygen therapy and home infusion are common patient needs. A team of 40 paramedics and 24/7 virtual care provided by nurses are key components of the program. While the program's funding relies heavily on waivers, support from legislators and regulators is growing, with North Carolina's Medicaid program recently becoming one of nine in the U.S. to cover HaH care.
Pharmacy Times: Why Data Point to Hospital-At-Home Care as Next Evolution of Clinical Medicine (10/26) – The advancement of digital health and increased investment, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, has accelerated the demand for home-based care. Telehealth visits have surged, and high-quality hospital-level care can now be provided in the patient's home. Health systems are increasingly offering home-based care programs to improve patient care and outcomes while saving costs.
Modern Healthcare: University Hospitals Partners with Luna for In-Home Physical Therapy (10/24) – University Hospitals is collaborating with Luna, a physical therapy provider, to offer in-person outpatient services in patients' homes by matching patients with therapists. The service will be available without a referral and is covered by most major insurances with the same co-pay cost as facility-based care. It aims to provide convenient and high-quality physical therapy directly to patients in their homes.
Hospice News: The Benefits of Palliative, Home-Based Primary Care Integration (10/23) – Integrating palliative care and home-based primary care has been effective in enhancing patient quality of life and reducing health care costs. This approach has led to cost reductions, fewer hospital readmissions, increased hospice enrollment, and longer stays. While the workforce shortage and reimbursement challenges persist, offering services in the home also alleviates the pressure on physician offices and hospitals by addressing complex patients.
Modern Healthcare: Home Healthcare Tapping AI to Speed Processes, Close Gaps in Care (10/17) – Home health care providers are increasingly turning to AI-powered tools to improve efficiency and address care gaps. The rise in older adults choosing to age in place is expected to shift around $265 billion in Medicare services to home-based care in the coming years. AI technologies are being used to streamline caregiver-patient matching and administrative processes. Several companies, including San Francisco-based Honor, are helping home care organizations connect patients with suitable caregivers using AI technology.
Home Care Magazine: Executive Home Care Expands to Address Soaring In-Home Care Demand (10/17) – Executive Home Care, an in-home care provider with operations along the East Coast, is expanding its services in response to the increasing demand for home care services, driven by older adults’ growing preference to age in place. Executive Home Care focuses on providing extensive training and support to franchisees to ensure high standards of care. They offer support from initial setup to long-term planning and have territories available in all 50 states, making it an appealing option for entrepreneurs entering the home care sector.
American Medical Association: Don’t Overlook These Factors as You Explore Health-at-Home Model (10/16) – Technological advancements have allowed physicians to provide a higher level of care in patients' homes, improving the patient experience and reducing the strain on hospitals and clinics. In a recent AMA webinar, expert panelists discussed the various types of care provided in the home, how health care organizations have used health-at-home models to enhance access, clinical outcomes/patient experiences, and how organizations can get started. With the help of technology, up to 30 percent of patients in a hospital could be effectively cared for at home. 95 percent of patients surveyed prefer home-based care. MHH member, Kevin Riddleberger of DispatchHealth, was features as a panelist in the webinar and is quoted, discussing clinician ability to practice at the top of their license to deliver appropriate care.
Inside Telehealth: Stakeholders: Hospital at Home Plays Key Role in Decentralization of Health Care (10/16) – Multiple speakers at AdvaMed's MedTech Conference emphasized the importance of continuing CMS's Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver beyond its expiration date in 2024. Panelists discussed the trend of shifting services from hospitals to outpatient centers, primary care offices, and patients' homes, and predicted that this shift could lead to hospitals offering more intense and technically advanced treatments and procedures. However, concerns were raised that overregulation or site-neutral payment legislation might slow down this decentralization of care. Panelists called for expanding the sites from which patients could be admitted to HaH care and addressing challenges in CMS' waiver program.
Home Health Care News: Home-Based Care Remains Key Part of UnitedHealth Group’s Value-Based Care Strategy (10/13) – UnitedHealth Group is making value-based care a central part of its long-term strategy, with home-based care playing a key role. UnitedHealth Group is focused on expanding its home-based care capabilities, integrating physical care with pharmacy and behavioral offerings, and extending its reach to consumers who may not have ready access to physical clinics. The company has made significant investments in home-based care, including the acquisitions of Landmark, Prospero Health, LHC Group, and the planned acquisition of Amedisys Inc.
Home Health Care News: How Clover Health Is Making At-Home Care Benefits Work in Medicare Advantage (10/13) – Clover Health, a technology-enabled Medicare Advantage insurer, believes that successful investments in home-based care require comprehensive coverage and innovative support strategies. They emphasize the importance of covering a wide range of care needs and focusing on high-cost patients. Clover's approach involves helping members access supplemental benefits and providing support to those who need it the most, thereby reducing avoidable hospitalizations. Their approach has already led to a 25 percent reduction in inpatient utilization. They prioritize four key benefits for at-home care: food, transportation, home health aides, and home security.
Home Health Care News: Walgreens, CVS Health Are Banking on Home-Based Care (10/12) – Walgreens has invested significantly in health care services and home-based care over the last three years. Their recent leadership change is expected to impact their home-based care plans in a way that reinforces their commitment to these services. Walgreens, along with CVS Health, Best Buy, and Walmart, recognizes the importance of home-based care in the changing health care landscape. These large retailers are increasingly investing in bringing care to the home and capitalizing on the trends of care moving towards home settings and value-based care.
Becker's Health IT: Who Will Run 'Hospitals at Home' if CMS' Waiver Expires? (10/11) – Mark Howell, the director of policy for the American Hospital Association, expressed concerns about the potential shutdown of HaH programs if CMS does not extend the waiver for these programs. Howell emphasized the risk of losing momentum at a time when health care delivery could be transformed innovatively. He suggested that only payer-providers like Kaiser Permanente might be able to sustain their home-based programs without the waiver extension. As of late August 2023, CMS had authorized 296 hospitals and 125 health systems in 37 states to offer acute hospital care at home.
McKnights Home Care: Home Care-Paramedic Combination Improves Patient Outcomes, Study Finds (10/11) – A recent study suggests that community paramedics can play a crucial role in improving the care of home-based primary care patients. Home-based primary care has been gaining attention from providers and government agencies, with initiatives like Humana's CenterWell's Primary Care Anywhere and the CMS' AHEAD Model aiming to enhance investment in primary care services and connect patients with home- and community-based resources to improve health outcomes without increasing costs.
Time: ‘Hospital at Home’ Could Be the Future of Health Care. Not Everyone Thinks It’s a Good Idea (10/10) – The article discusses the HaH movement and describes how it is gaining popularity as hospitals and health systems seek to enhance the patient experience, reduce hospital overcrowding, and address bed shortages, especially with the aging baby boomer population. The article also highlights the success and benefits of this approach, and it traces the movement's history, which began with Dr. Bruce Leff's pioneering work in the late 1980s. Reimbursement challenges had slowed the adoption of this model until the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its acceptance.
Home Health Care News: Inside Kaiser Permanente’s Collaborations with Home-Based Care Providers (10/10) – Kaiser Permanente is a major health care organization known for being a payer source friendly to home-based care providers. Kaiser works on a sepsis program with Bayada and a heart failure program with Pavilion to reduce readmissions and improve patient well-being. These collaborations emphasize care continuity, and Kaiser aims to move further into the value-based care arena to enhance reimbursement for home health agencies and reduce adverse events.
Home Health Care News: Hospital at Home Is a Viable Alternative with Low Caregiver Burden, Study Finds (10/10) – A recent study found that caregiver burden is mild to moderate in both home and acute care facility settings, suggesting that HaH programs are a viable alternative for acutely ill patients. These programs have been effective in reducing costs and readmissions while maintaining or improving quality and safety. The findings support the expansion of HaH programs as an alternative for high-acuity care. Read more about the study in our last newsletter.
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