Americans find home care attractive and safe

According to a USC Schaeffer Center, hospital-level care in the patient’s home is attractive to the majority of people because of its convenience, comfort and effectiveness. study.

The study, published in JAMAThe research found that most survey respondents felt they would recover faster if they were cared for at home, rather than in hospital, and felt safe if they were treated at home.

Researchers say their study provides important insights into patient and family preferences as policymakers weigh whether to expand a pandemic-era program that allows hospitals to provide home care.

“Patients obviously want the best care, but often prefer to be at home, especially when technology allows them to work closely with their physician team on recovery,” said Melissa A. Frasco, research scientist at the Schaeffer Center.

The survey also found that 82% of respondents felt comfortable managing a patient’s medications at home, and 67% indicated they were willing to provide more in-depth care, such as wound care.

Hospital-level care can often be provided at home for many patients with acute conditions using remote patient monitoring tools, daily in-person or telehealth visits by physicians, and home infusions. Previous studies have shown that such care can reduce readmissions and lower costs compared to traditional hospital care.

The researchers used a sample from the Understanding America Study to survey approximately 1,100 respondents about their preferences. Responses showed that 47% agreed that home care was an acceptable alternative to inpatient care.

Meanwhile, only about 17% had a negative view of the benefits of home care, while 36% were neutral on the issue. Furthermore, 56% agreed – including 21% who strongly agreed – that people recover faster at home than in hospital.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has temporarily authorized home health care services under the acute hospital care home waiver during the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress extended the waiver through December 31, 2024, with a requirement that CMS comprehensively study the quality of care before approving long-term reimbursements. Currently, 322 hospitals in 37 states are approved to provide home health care.

“Our findings provide valuable information for policymakers and healthcare systems as they navigate a new landscape of post-pandemic patient care,” said co-author Erin L. Duffy, director of research training at the Schaeffer Center.

“Expanding reimbursement for home health care could go a long way toward reducing costs and improving outcomes, benefiting all parties involved.”

The acceptability of hospital care at home did not vary by sociodemographics, health insurance coverage, health status, previous hospitalizations or use of telehealth, the researchers found.

In addition to Duffy and Frasco, the study was co-authored by Erin Trish, co-director of the Schaeffer Center.