When extra care is needed beyond the hospital stay, Baptist Health - Health at Home offers a wide range of services.
“Knowing what options are available to you and your loved ones makes planning for the future easier,” says Kris Cummings, Administrator/Director of Baptist Health - Health at Home.
The Little Rock Health at Home office serves more than 350 patients a day who live within a 100-mile radius of the city. Health at Home serves patients needing an alternative to long-term care, but also those needing temporary care and therapies.
Health at Home’s comprehensive services include Home Health, Supportive Care, PACE, MedAlert and Hospice.
Home Health
“Home Health can benefit any person over the age of 18 with a need for in-home therapy, a recent hospitalization or surgical procedure, a new diagnosis needing education or medication management, a decline in a chronic condition or care requiring a skilled clinician,” Kris says.
Home Health often encompasses a variety of therapies, including physical, occupational and speech, along with skilled nursing visits and home health aides.
“Physical and occupational therapists work with the patient and caregiver on a home exercise program to rehabilitate them to their prior level of function, improve the overall status or prepare the patient to transition to an outpatient setting,” Kris says. “Speech therapists assess and treat communication disorders, including speech, language, voice, fluency and swallowing difficulties, developing personalized treatment plans.
“Skilled nurses assess and treat medical conditions, which can include but are not limited to wounds, catheter care, infusions, drains, post-surgical recovery, chronic disease management and LVADs.” Additionally, home health aides are available to help individuals with bathing and personal care needs.
Kris says, “Traditional Medicare and most Medicare Advantage and commercial insurance plans will cover home health benefits.”
Who qualifies for Home Health? “The ideal candidate would be any person over the age of 18 who has a considerable and taxing effort to leave the home and needs a licensed, skilled clinician for aftercare following a hospitalization, post-surgical care, wound care, IV administration, education, medication management and in-home rehabilitation … until the patient’s personalized goals are achieved,” Kris says.
PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly)
Also included under the Health at Home program, the PACE program is an alternative to long-term care for older individuals. “PACE is all-inclusive care that is designed to allow participants to remain in their own homes and communities while providing their caregivers with much-needed relief and emotional support,” says Kourtney Matlock, President of BHRI and Post Acute Care.
Located in North Little Rock, PACE serves most of Central Arkansas. “Its services include an adult day health center, primary and specialty physician services, social services, family caregiver support, medical equipment, therapy services, personal care services, transportation, medications, home-delivered meals and nutritional counseling.”
MedAlert Monitoring
The MedAlert component of Health at Home provides extra assurance for those living at home with health conditions.
“MedAlert is a medical alert system that allows you to connect with support should you need assistance while home alone due to a fall or other emergency,” Kourtney explains. “Through state-of-the-art medical devices, patients can alert Baptist Health of their urgent care needs 24/7, ensuring all falls, medical episodes and more are quickly addressed.”
Hospice Care
To help patients in need of end-of-life care, Baptist Health’s Hospice is an integral part of its Health at Home offerings.
“Hospice care encompasses an individual’s entire being, including those who love them,” Kris says. “Our holistic approach includes spiritual and social support for caregivers and education to ensure the best care. Our clinicians and care team walk the journey with the patients and families to ensure a smooth and peaceful transition, while providing the best quality of life possible.”
Serving Every Need
As evidenced by the many programs under the Health at Home umbrella, Baptist Health is devoted to meeting patients where they are, serving their immediate needs and preventing future hospital stays.
As Kris reiterates, “Home-based services are the way of the future. Our population is aging quickly, leading to new diagnoses that require education. Offering these services provides an opportunity to educate patients and caregivers with easy-to-understand instructions to help keep them out of the hospital.”
For more information about Health at Home and other Baptist Health offerings, visit baptist-health.com.
Knowing what options are available to you and your loved ones makes planning for the future easier.