A specialized home care team does make a difference.
Results of a study done in a large teaching and research facility in Alberta reveal that a specialized home care team can substantially lower the cost of caring for people who are ventilator dependent. With the assistance of a pulmonary physician, the Respiratory Home Care program has shown excellent results. Patients report that they "feel as safe at home as in the hospital", and the savings to the health care system are estimated to be about $2,000,000 per year.
Larson
D
D
University of Alberta, Edmonton.
Odegard
R
R
Brown
N E
NE
D000416:Alberta; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education; D017046:Cost Savings / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000458:organization & administration; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010348:Patient Care Team; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000191:economics*; D012139:Respiratory Therapy Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration