Changes in Patient Care Increase Need for Home Health Care Workers
With expenditures for health care services delivered on site to patients in their homes topping more than $40 billion each year, the scope and amount of this type of care is growing more broad all the time. For example, workers can provide everything from helping patients with their personal care and daily living routine or more complicated, skilled care to support patients who are chronically ill or are recovering from surgery. The price tag for care in a patient's house is substantially lower than the cost of in-hospital care or a nursing home, so having that care provided in familiar surroundings is becoming a more desirable choice for patients and their families. Just the sheer numbers alone in this growing trend is going to mean more frequent occurrences of home health care workers compensation claims. Here are some reasons to think about.
Limited education, training and supervision
Keep in mind that working in a person's house likely means the worker will have little or no supervision during the majority of his or her shift. With each assignment, the worker will be entering an environment that is not under his or her care and control, and each situation will present its own unique challenges (e.g., Mrs. Miller's dachshund with its tendency to snap at one's ankles whenever someone gets close to her beloved owner; Mr. Chambers' penchant for leaving discarded insulin needles lying around). Are workers adequately trained to handle these challenges? Whether they are or aren't may depend on where they live, as training and certification requirements for aides and assistants differ widely from one state to another. In some states, to become a home-based health aid or personal assistant does not even require a high school diploma, although workers hired by agencies that receive government funding are required to pass a basic competency test. Some industry organizations have established a basis for nationwide certification for in-house assistants, based on their ability to master 17 specific skills. Part of that training is devoted to teaching workers to perform their tasks safely. Workers caring for house-based patients have higher numbers for on-the-job injuries compared to other health care workers. Many of the injuries are based on forceful overexertion resulting in musculoskeletal problems, typically caused by the strain involved in lifting, moving, or shifting patients in or out of their beds or chairs.
Aging population partially responsible for growth
It's important to remember that the aging of the Baby Boomer populations means that numbers of patients who will need care in their dwellings will continue growing by leaps and bounds; further fueling this growth is the decrease in the average length of hospital stays and the early release of patients to be cared for in their own environment. While this trend means more jobs for workers in this sector, it also means more chances of home health care workers compensation exposures. Talk to a professional insurance agent about insurance that can provide protection for the particular risks associated with caring for patients who are under their own roof.
Limited education, training and supervision
Keep in mind that working in a person's house likely means the worker will have little or no supervision during the majority of his or her shift. With each assignment, the worker will be entering an environment that is not under his or her care and control, and each situation will present its own unique challenges (e.g., Mrs. Miller's dachshund with its tendency to snap at one's ankles whenever someone gets close to her beloved owner; Mr. Chambers' penchant for leaving discarded insulin needles lying around). Are workers adequately trained to handle these challenges? Whether they are or aren't may depend on where they live, as training and certification requirements for aides and assistants differ widely from one state to another. In some states, to become a home-based health aid or personal assistant does not even require a high school diploma, although workers hired by agencies that receive government funding are required to pass a basic competency test. Some industry organizations have established a basis for nationwide certification for in-house assistants, based on their ability to master 17 specific skills. Part of that training is devoted to teaching workers to perform their tasks safely. Workers caring for house-based patients have higher numbers for on-the-job injuries compared to other health care workers. Many of the injuries are based on forceful overexertion resulting in musculoskeletal problems, typically caused by the strain involved in lifting, moving, or shifting patients in or out of their beds or chairs.
Aging population partially responsible for growth
It's important to remember that the aging of the Baby Boomer populations means that numbers of patients who will need care in their dwellings will continue growing by leaps and bounds; further fueling this growth is the decrease in the average length of hospital stays and the early release of patients to be cared for in their own environment. While this trend means more jobs for workers in this sector, it also means more chances of home health care workers compensation exposures. Talk to a professional insurance agent about insurance that can provide protection for the particular risks associated with caring for patients who are under their own roof.