Home care, hospital associations further collaborative to synchronize care

ALBANY, N.Y. >> Home care and hospital association representatives in New York state are working together to further enhance collaboration across their respective settings through a Statewide HospitalHome Care Collaborative.

Home Care Association of New York State Education & Research, Healthcare Association of New York State, and Iroquois Healthcare Association developed the Collaborative in 2020 with support from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, which is also now funding phase II of this initiative, extending the project through 2022.

As part of this effort, HCA E&R, HANYS, and IHA have curated a series of upcoming webinars featuring prototypes of existing hospital and home care collaboration models developed by providers across New York state. The goal is to provide a blueprint that can be adapted to develop similar collaborative models across the state.

The Collaborative will include monthly webinars from September 2021 through March 2022 and a virtual Statewide Summit on Dec. 2, 2021, that will help chart out future directions for post-sector collaboration. A list of upcoming events is available online https://hca-nys.org/statewide-hospital-home-carecollaborative#newwebinars.

To assist hospital-home care collaborative development and provide technical assistance, this initiative also includes a library of online resources and tools, which will continue to build over the project, as well as further education on identified collaboration needs and issues.

Hospitals and home care providers have long worked in a coordinated fashion.

Pre-acute home care helps prevent avoidable hospitalizations, while postacute home care helps in the recovery process. Together, these efforts result in better patient care and outcomes, and reduced healthcare costs.

Cross-sector collaboration is especially important during emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which places enormous stresses on hospital capacity. According to one HCA report in October, 65% of home care agencies in New York state saw an increase in referrals to home care from hospitals and other settings since the onset of the public health emergency.

“This initiative highlights the value and power of home care and hospitals working together as core partners for health care quality, cost-effectiveness and health system transformation,” said HCA President Al Cardillo. “Hospitals and home care providers have critical and collaborative roles in our health care system, and these parts are mutually strengthened when care is coordinated for the benefit of patients.”

“Through this Collaborative, hospitals and home care providers are strengthening partnerships and in some cases creating new models that improve coordination across the continuum of care,” said HANYS President Bea Grause, RN, JD. “HANYS and our members are excited to be part of the next phase of this Collaborative and we look forward to further enhancing the bonds between hospitals and home care providers to benefit all New Yorkers.

“By working together, we can leverage this network to alleviate some of the pressure the coronavirus is placing on our acute-care settings, while also keeping our most vulnerable populations safe and healthy,” said IHA President and CEO Gary J. Fitzgerald. “Together, we will bring new and innovative tools to market that will not only improve patient care but also increase health system efficiency overall.”

“We are pleased to support this program, which is consistent with the mission of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation in seeking to eliminate barriers to care for New Yorkers,” said Foundation CEO Msgr. Gregory Mustaciuolo. “This is an especially important initiative during the pandemic and its aftermath.”

To learn more about the initiative, visit the Collaborative webpage at https:// hca-nys.org/statewide-hospital-home-care-collaborative.