Value: a fair return or equivalent in goods, services or money for something exchanged; relative worth
Medicare’s Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model is new to the home health nursing space this year, but value-driven care has been gaining traction across care delivery systems for years. While the concept of VBP may not be new, the metrics used to define value and quality change frequently. Currently, STAR ratings, Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems results, and Home Health Compare are used to assess value of care provided by an agency.
The home health nurse’s day-to-day workload differs greatly than our counterparts in a typical brick-and-mortar acute care setting. We still perform intricate wound care, IV therapy, LVAD therapy and disease management, but we work in the setting of a patients’ residence and on their turf. Needless to say, this presents an entirely different set of challenges and opportunities to the home health nurse. We feel the impact of fighting traffic, connecting with physicians to obtain orders in a timely manner and managing patient and caregiver expectations. At the same time, we maintain professionalism, confidence and people skills during those Foley catheter changes done in dark rooms while keeping the family pet out of the sterile field.
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