MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — More than 11 million Americans receive home-delivered health care from home health care providers. West Virginia University Hospitals-East and WVUH-East Home Health Care join home health agencies across the nation in celebrating November as National Home Care Month under the theme, “Guaranteeing Health Care Freedom.”
"Caring for the sick, elderly and dying in their homes truly is a privilege for us," said
Judy Hockman, System Director of Outpatient Clinical Services at WVUH-East Home Health Care. "Home care professionals, volunteers and modern medicine make it possible for people to stay in their homes, regardless of their medical condition."
Through technological advances, home-delivered health care has grown far beyond basic
professional nursing and home care aide services. Today's modern home care agency
offers a wealth of skilled home care services. “WVUH-East Home Health Care offesr a wide array of home health services to the residents of Berkeley and Jefferson Counties including nursing and rehabilitative services, medical social services, home health aid and nutritional services,” Hockman said.
According to Hockman, there are many benefits to home care. “Home care is personalized, it promotes independence, keeps families together and promotes healing often reducing recovery time,” she commented, adding that it also can be less expensive that other types of care.
Home care services are paid for by public and private sources, or directly by patients and
their families. Third-party payers include commercial insurance, managed care
organizations, CHAMPUS, and workers' compensation. Medicare and Medicaid
are significant payers, often driving the payment agenda for commercial insurance.
Despite massive cutbacks in government funding, home care continues to be the
preferred means of receiving quality health care services for millions of Americans. “At WVUH-East Home Health Care, we believe that quality health care can be provided in a compassionate, safe, and cost effective manner in the home environment,” Hockman stated.
WVUH-East Home Health Care is Joint Commission Accredited and a Medicare certified home health agency. For more information, call WVUH-East Home Health care at 304.728.1750.