5 Reasons It’s Time to Pay Attention to Home-Based Care

Home health has long been recognized as an emerging trend in health care—an interesting, “outside the box” approach, appealing to providers and patients alike. Meanwhile, data suggests that the home health industry is not only growing, but surging.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of home health agencies and personal care aides in the U.S. will swell by more than 1.3 million by 2020. That’s a 70 percent increase from 2010, and miles ahead of the overall job market’s estimated 14 percent growth rate. Providers would be mistaken to take those predictions lightly, but let’s add some context. Here are five reasons home health is the next big thing in health care:

The Aging Baby Boomer Generation

Every day, approximately 10,000 Americans turn age 65. In line with the BLS growth timeline for home health is a barrage of directly related stats involving baby boomers. For example, by 2020, older adults will comprise nearly one-third of the entire U.S. population as the boomer generation collectively ages. Likewise, one-quarter of the workforce will be composed of workers ages 55 and older.

America’s 76 million baby boomers will require tremendous resources in terms of care. And, as the most affluent generation in our country’s history, boomers have the means to demand care in the comfort of their own homes rather than in hospitals.

The Answer to the Health Care Cost Crisis

Put simply, home health is saving our health care system, which consumes nearly 18 cents of every dollar spent in the U.S., while simultaneously holding the dubious distinction of least effective health care system among Western nations.

The cost for home-based services ranges from roughly $30 to $100 per day. Facility-based care costs up to 50 times that, and can quickly snowball into tens of thousands of dollars for a single patient. Home health also lends itself to preventative care for chronic disease, as opposed to mere treatment of chronic disease, which currently accounts for roughly 78 cents on every health care dollar.

Technological Advances

Paper-based communication was once a huge barrier within home health, but the industry has since evolved and adapted to electronic methods. That means greater efficiency, which correlates to greater capacity. Thanks to advanced training and monitoring techniques, many patients today that might have been hospitalized in their same condition five years ago are instead able to get the care they need at home.

Better Setting, Better Outcomes

Where do you want to be when you’re sick? At home, right? The concept behind home health is that it provides care in a comfortable, cost-effective setting, as opposed to in a crowded hospital. And it’s not only a matter of comfort; home-based care actually results in better outcomes, as it keeps patients from being exposed to the world of foreign bacteria in a hospital and enables caregivers to see, track, and share the full picture of a patient’s condition and lifestyle. Providers even share information—amongst themselves and with consumers—to help benchmark standards and quality of care. 

A Smoother Transition for Families

Having a sick loved one is upsetting and exhausting, and a hospital only adds undue stress to the situation. Instead of making trips to and from the hospital, being intruded on every 15 minutes, and being subjected to a high-strung atmosphere, patients and their families can get the right care, at the right time, in the right setting (home).

At Home with Mission

Wholly owned by four partners with core values of care, commitment, and company culture, Mission Healthcare is a trusted home health partner to providers throughout Southern California. We offer expert in-home nursing and therapy services, with unmatched service and attention to detail. To learn more about our home health services, click here.