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Learn MoreFollowing are some key facts and trends about this increasingly important sector of the care continuum.
Two-thirds of those age 65+ will need some type of long term care
Unlike most healthcare, long-term care is focused not on curing an illness but rather on allowing individuals to attain and maintain an optimal level of functioning. It is a “wide array of medical, social, personal, and supportive housing services needed by individuals who have lost some capacity for self-care because of a chronic illness or disabling condition” (U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, 2000). The lifetime probability of becoming disabled in at least two activities of daily living or of being cognitively impaired is 68% for people age 65 and older (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2016). In 2015, some 8,357,100 people received support from one of the five main long-term care services (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2016):
Post-acute care is under increased CMS scrutiny
Post-acute care (PAC) is the skilled nursing care and therapy that often follows an inpatient hospital stay (Blum, 2013). It typically includes care provided in one of four settings: long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs), inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and home health agencies (HHAs). Post-acute care has come under increased scrutiny lately, as healthcare organizations focus more attention on integrating and improving service delivery across the continuum of care. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), PAC services are used by nearly 42% of Medicare beneficiaries who are discharged from a hospital (AHA, 2015). The AHA also quoted a 2013 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report which concluded that some 73% of the variation in Medicare spending is attributable to care provided in the PAC setting. As a result, CMS is taking several steps to reign in cost from this sector. Beginning in FY2018, skilled nursing facilities will suffer financial penalties if their hospital readmission rates are higher than expected. CMS has also just instituted (April 2016) a mandatory hip and knee replacement bundled payment program in selected markets in the U.S. The payment bundle includes the inpatient care for the joint replacement surgery and all additional care provided during the 90-day period following discharge. CMS has proposed to bundle 50 percent of all PAC payments by 2020. According to the AHA, “These and other efforts to deliver, assess and pay for episodes of care that cover multiple settings are expected to reduce the overall volume of PAC services” (AHA, 2015).
The nursing home model of care is on the decline
A number of new housing trends are redefining the traditional nursing home model, providing a variety of options for aging seniors. As our population ages, there is an increasing clamor for more affordable and more enriching living experiences for senior adults. One industry expert makes a number of predictions about the future of assisted living (Stevenson, 2013):
Staffing will be a major challenge for home care providers
The aging of the U.S. population is fueling high growth in the home health care sector. The traditional home health care market, valued at $77.8 billion in 2012, is projected to grow to $157 billion by 2022 (Thomas, 2016). Two-thirds of the care provided in the home is traditional home health and home nursing care, but hospice, therapy, and home-maker services are also being supplied (Thomas, 2016). With this growth comes demand for increased staffing— something that will prove difficult in this arena.
In 2013, an estimated 1.3 million home health aides were in the process of entering the job marketplace, with 50% growth in demand expected on top of that by 2018. This growth makes the home health market one of the fastest growing fields in the U.S. (Halvorson, 2013). Many see wages as a key challenge moving forward. According to a recent report in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, nearly half of all home care workers live at or below the poverty line. Many rely on government benefits such as food stamps, and make as little as $9.70 per hour—that’s 4 cents less per hour than fast-food workers (Seewer, 2012).
As the above trends show, the non-acute world is in flux. Providers in this sector are struggling with increasing demand due to an aging population, the absorption of new technology, the difficulty of documenting outcomes, and the pressure to integrate to offer services that span the continuum of care. Five years from now, non-acute care will look very different than it does today.
This article is taken from the complimentary HealthStream eBook, Healthcare Trends Beyond the Hospital Walls. Find it here, as well as other information and resources.
References:
Family Caregiver Alliance “What Is Long Term Care?” https:// www.caregiver.org, March, 2016.
Halvorsen, Chad, “Top 7 Challenges Facing Home Health Care Agencies in 2013,” When I Work, http://wheniwork.com/blog/top-7-challengesfacing-home-health-care-agencies-in-2013/, June 13, 2013.
Seewer, John, “More aging baby boomers facing health care challenge,” Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, http://lubbockonline.com/business/2012-08-11/more-aging-baby-boomers-facing-home-health-care-challenge#.VumuU6Mo4kJ, August 12, 2012.
Stevenson, Sarah, “8 Predictions about the Future of Assisted Living,” A Place for Mom, http://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/2013-8-27-futuresenior-care/, August 27, 2013.
“The Role of Post-Acute Care in New Care Delivery Models,” TrendWatch, American Hospital Association (AHA), http://www.aha.org/research/reports/tw/15dec-tw-postacute.pdf, December, 2015.
Thomas, Sarah, MS, et al, “Home health care: New Opportunities and challenges for care provided inside the home,” Deloitte Center for HealthSolutions, http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/life-sciences-and-health-care/articles/center-for-health-solutions-home-health-care-newopportunities-and-challenges-for-care-provided-in-the-home.html, 2016.
U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, February, 2000.
HealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsThe leadership development program from HealthStream helps mold your high-potential healthcare employees into proven leaders.
View All ProductsWhen you enact HealthStream's quality compliance solutions, you can do so with the confidence your healthcare organization will meet all standards of care.
View All Quality & ComplianceFulfill compliance requirements with a variety of programs and courseware designed to address critical regulatory requirements as well as educate staff to recognize and mitigate risks.
View All ProductsBy increasing your healthcare staff's focus on quality and safety with HealthStream, they can help to reduce medical errors and readmission rates.
View All ProductsLearn about what HealthStream's healthcare policy management software and how it can help aid your organization efforts.
View All ProductsHealthStream's education helps address diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization, as well as promoting health equity in the communities you serve.
View All ProductsHealthStream offers professional training and education on how to best optimize your reimbursement process within your healthcare organization.
View All ReimbursementTeach your healthcare staff about the revenue cycle and claim management through targeted training and video tools from HealthStream.
View All ProductsLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ResuscitationIn all areas of resuscitation, from neonatal to elderly care, clinical deterioration is a risk that can be avoided with the help of HealthStream's training programs.
View All ProductsNurture the skills of your nurses and medical staff to help mold them into effective leaders with development training from HealthStream.
View All ProductsExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentMake sure your clinicians have the support they need to provide competent care with clinical competency training and development from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All ProductsThe suite of healthcare onboarding solutions available from HealthStream aids in nurse retention and improved patient outcomes.
View All ProductsGive your healthcare staff the decision support and skills training they need with the online products available from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream leverages medical professional development in healthcare by providing staff training programs
View All ProductsLearn more about HealthStream's provider credentialing, privileging, & enrollment solutions for healthcare organizations.
View All CredentialingExperience standardized and centralized healthcare provider credentialing, privileging, and enrollment that is smarter and faster than ever before.
View All ProductsAutomated, web-based provider credentialing and enrollment software for growing medical groups.
View All ProductsNCQA-certified CVO verification services for initial and re-credentialing files in an overflow or full-service capacity for healthcare organizations.
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View All ProductsPrecisely align staffing and needed resources to enable efficient patient flow and high-quality, cost-effective patient care.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s free nurse schedule app, NurseGrid™, is built to help you care for your staff and engage with their specific needs.
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