When you’re a provider that’s responsible for managing post-acute care patients in their homes, it can be a difficult business. There are many factors to consider when it comes to keeping the patient safe, and you must avoid unnecessary medical complications to aid in their recovery. Here are four strategies to better manage post-acute care.
1. Select the Patient’s Home for the Discharge Residence
The patient’s destination as a home base when they are discharged from the acute care ward is important. Management of their care including having access to the right equipment and facilities should they need it is critical. Rehabilitation and time to fully recuperate are achievable in the home environment where the patient will feel the happiest. For both medical wellbeing and the satisfaction of the patient, using the home as the discharge residence smooths the way to excellent medical outcomes.
2. Make the Need for Medical Supplies Easier to Manage
Instead of having to find spare medical supplies from the existing stock, consider outsourcing this requirement to a company like Revsuppliance. They’re set up to handle it, select what’s required, keep it in stock, and then deliver it directly to the patient at their home. Companies like these can handle the time-consuming items on behalf of the primary care provider, so it’s one less thing to worry about. They will also follow up with the patient to ensure adherence to the requirements for effective post-acute care. By outsourcing medical supply and follow-up, your staff is freed up to focus on more important tasks. Alternatively, you can suggest home care supplies that help the patient recover faster. So, acute care patients at the hospital can once again get your full attention and hospital operations are more streamlined too.
3. Aim to Reduce the Percentage of Readmissions
Readmissions are a growing issue in the medical field, especially in post-acute care patients. The rate of readmission with acute patients hovers around the 15-20% range, which is not insubstantial. It’s necessary to monitor the patient’s progress once they’re home and ensure that they’re taking care of themselves appropriately. Otherwise, they’ll be right back where they started, so to speak. Reducing readmissions can be a goal of the healthcare organization or one that an outsourced medical care provider can offer on their behalf. Either approach works, or it can be done in consort with one another for the best of both worlds.
4. Use Appropriate Rehabilitation
It depends on the type of acute care as to what type, amount, and duration of rehabilitation will be required. Many healthcare providers are increasingly looking to outsource rehabilitation to specialist providers and centers that are well equipped to offer it. Rather than keeping a dedicated team on staff, hospitals and other healthcare providers see the benefit of using a collection of providers that can offer more to the patient.
Post-acute care patients are a special group that requires specific treatment and care for a full recovery. While care at home during their rehabilitation and recovery phase is less expensive than remaining in hospital, it’s important to avoid readmission because of a decline in quality care. Therefore, healthcare providers must find ways to ensure a high quality of medical care at all times.
