Module 6 Discussion

Home health nurses, their organization, and the home health care industry have faced many challenges in the last several years. Research trends, issues, and opportunities related to the home health care industry; identify one area for discussion and present a summary of your findings.
OR
Discuss how pay-for-quality performance initiatives are influencing home health care delivery.

Goals
After completing this module, you will be able to do the following:

1. Identify trends, issues, and opportunities influencing the provision of home health care services.
2. Explain how pay for quality performance initiatives are influencing home health care delivery.
3. Explore the ethical challenges faced by professional caregivers in community-based care.
   Overview
   In this module, we will examine the present state of the home health care industry and examine future trends and opportunities.
   Just as other segments of the health care industry have been impacted by health care reform, the home health industry is no different – provider organizations have been challenged by the changing reimbursement landscape and more often than not, are having to “do more with less”. As a result, it is imperative to examine productivity and efficiency while simultaneously looking to enhance patient outcomes. The prudent home health care administrator is constantly surveying the horizon and must be vigilant to ensure that his/her agency remains viable in the face of industry challenges. However, one cannot focus only on the challenges; he/she must look to the future and position the agency to be a leader in the provision of quality services that patients and their families expect.
   Future trends and opportunities for the home health care industry include, but are not limited to :
   • Partnerships with other providers in the provision of quality care that enhances patient outcomes.
   • Pay for quality performance initiatives.
   • Demographics of an aging population.
   • Use of technology in the provision of home health care services.
   • Research opportunities in home health care.
   Home health nurses cannot be passive participants in their practice environment, but instead should seize the opportunity to lead the organization to new levels.
   Ethical dilemmas present themselves in the home care setting just as they do in any other health care setting. The home health care nurse must be comfortable with navigating these situations so that patient’s desires can be respected and care can be provided within professional boundaries.
   Learning Materials
   • Chapter 13 – Clark, M. (2015). Population and community health nursing (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
   • Case Management Society of America’s Standards of Practice for Case Management (2016).
   • Pay for Performance Demonstration
   • Home Health Star Ratings
   • HHC Star Ratings (46 minutes)