Sometimes, the best place to provide primary care is directly in the patient’s home. Although it may seem old-fashioned, house calls, or home-based primary care, are more relevant than ever.
In fact, the American Academy of Home Care Medicine reports that HBPC serves more than 100,000 people per year.
To put it lightly, primary care home visits are here to stay. With that in mind, here’s what you need to know about HBPC, including what it is, who needs it and why it matters.
What Is Home-Based Healthcare?
HBPC programs provide primary, urgent or palliative care in an individual’s home. Generally speaking, it’s most common among high-risk and medically vulnerable patients.
Home-based health services often involve an interdisciplinary team of professionals, including:
- Primary care physicians
- Nurse practitioners
- Physician associates
- Social workers
- Pharmacists
- Physical, occupational or speech therapists
Often, the patients who opt in to HBPC face barriers to care, such as an inability to travel, disabilities or chronic conditions. Typical services include:
- Annual wellness visits
- Chronic illness management
- Routine medical care
- Vaccinations
- Pain management
- Cognitive and neurological disorder management
- Wound care
- Advance care planning
- Care coordination
In addition, the patient receives personalized care in a comfortable, familiar environment.
Which Patients Are Candidates for In-Home Primary Care?
Certain diseases and conditions may make HBPC a suitable option for some patients. Examples include:
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
- Diabetes
- Chronic wounds
- COPD
- Stroke recovery
- Heart disease
- Movement disorders
When traveling to and from an appointment becomes difficult, home-based primary care helps these individuals get the care they need.
Home Health vs. Home Care
Although they have similar-sounding names, “home health” (HBPC) is different from “home care.” The former is a home-based medical service delivered by licensed professionals.
However, home care is non-medical and focuses on activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing and cooking.
Benefits of Primary Care Home Visits
Home-based health offers numerous benefits for both providers and their patients. On the practitioner’s side, HBPC can:
- Allow providers to intervene before a patient’s condition worsens
- Reduce hospitalizations and emergency room visits
- Shift costs away from emergency and inpatient care
- Improve the likelihood that patients follow provider instructions
- Enhance continuity of care and patient-provider relationships
- Increase physician job satisfaction
Additionally, patients may benefit from home health in multiple ways, including:
- Improved satisfaction and quality of life
- Personalized, one-on-one medical attention
- Increased independence in a safe environment
- Faster recovery times and better health outcomes
- Reduced barriers to care
- Enhanced family and caregiver engagement
And depending on the person’s situation, their health insurance plan may cover some or all HBPC costs.