Health care home delivery
PRIVATE health insurer Medibank today launches its own in-home health care service, bypassing hospitals for treatment including chemotherapy, dialysis, palliative care and rehabilitation.
The Medibank At Home program means vulnerable patients can receive care at home instead of dealing with the stress of travelling to hospital.
The insurer already has a national “rehabilitation at home” service and has been trialling chemotherapy and palliative care in WA.
The chemotherapy trial will be extended to South Australia and Victoria with a view to introducing it nationally.
The move to offer dialysis at home, initially in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, is set to help thousands of renal patients who face trips to hospital several times a week for several hours treatment at a time.
Kidney Health Australia says more than 12,400 people were on dialysis in 2016.
Home care by medical professionals would be available to Medibank members, subject to the treating doctor deciding it is suitable. It would be at no extra cost and Medibank officials say it will save families money by cutting travel costs.
New Medibank data shows 64 per cent of Victorians and Tasmanians who visited hospital said getting to and from hospital was a major stressor, with 82 per cent listing parking as the key contributor.
Furthermore, 26 per cent of Victorians and Tasmanians admitted they have had to reschedule a hospital appointment due to difficulties getting there.
Another 25 per cent said this was due to not having a friend or family member available to take them.
Medibank chief medical officer Linda Swan said the initiative was about giving people greater choice, control and flexibility around care.
“Results from our current pilots show that for members with specific health needs, receiving care at home can deliver as good or better results, alleviate stress for both the patient and their support network, and decrease the risk of hospital readmission.”