CHEST Guidelines-House-Calls-for-Patients-With-Pulmonary-Disease

House-Calls-for-Patients-With-Pulmonary-Disease_ch

Pdf Summary

The resurgence of house calls for patients with pulmonary disease reflects a nostalgic return to personalized healthcare, bolstered by recent advancements and demographic trends. Historically, house calls were prevalent until mid-20th century when technological advancements and specialization shifted care to hospitals and clinics. However, comprehensive reviews by McCormick et al. underscore the increasing relevance of house calls today, particularly for frail or chronically ill Medicare beneficiaries, without necessitating them to be homebound.<br /><br />This renewed interest is driven largely by an aging population with chronic diseases, necessitating holistic approaches that address more than just medical conditions. House calls provide unique insights for physicians that office visits might miss, such as medication adherence issues uncovered when discovering unused equipment or prescription bottles during a home visit.<br /><br />Modern initiatives like the Independence at Home and Hospital at Home programs demonstrate the efficacy of home-based care, utilizing multidisciplinary teams and advanced technologies to deliver comprehensive primary and hospital-level care at home. These models have shown promising results in patient satisfaction, quality of care, and cost savings.<br /><br />Central to this shift is the ability of healthcare systems to adapt to value-based payment models and the integration of cutting-edge technological innovations in care. Ensuring high-quality home care while preventing undue burdens on family caregivers is crucial.<br /><br />The potential for home-based care to disrupt traditional healthcare delivery is evident, yet its adoption remains limited. Physicians may need to reconsider the utility of their black bags as new technologies and home care models advance. In essence, house calls offer a meaningful, patient-centered alternative to the conventional continuum of care, especially for elderly patients, potentially minimizing hospital readmissions and honoring patient preferences to remain at home wherever feasible.

Keywords

house calls

personalized healthcare

pulmonary disease

aging population

chronic diseases

home-based care

Independence at Home

value-based payment

technological innovations

patient-centered care