{"id":10581,"date":"2020-08-14T08:00:50","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T13:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=10581"},"modified":"2020-08-17T13:56:51","modified_gmt":"2020-08-17T18:56:51","slug":"rising-demand-for-home-health-care-and-nurses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/rising-demand-for-home-health-care-and-nurses\/","title":{"rendered":"A rising demand for home health care and nurses"},"content":{"rendered":"

There was no hospital building in 1877, when The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis<\/a> began caring for sick people in Peoria, Illinois. They delivered care in residents\u2019 homes.<\/p>\n

Today, OSF HealthCare is a 14-hospital system<\/a> with over 130 ambulatory care clinics. But one of the hottest areas of the Ministry \u2013 where surging patient demand is driving a need for more providers \u2013 is OSF Home Care.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s where the Sisters started, seeing patients in their home, meeting a need wherever it was,\u201d said Lois Bentler-Lampe, vice president of clinical operations and chief nursing officer for OSF Home Care Services<\/a>. \u201cHome care fits beautifully with the Mission of being here to serve all persons with the greatest care and love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Safe, effective care at home<\/h2>\n

Building a great home care delivery system was a priority for OSF HealthCare before the COVID-19 pandemic<\/a> struck in early 2020. Now it\u2019s in high demand.<\/p>\n

In the early days of the pandemic, OSF Home Care leadership was concerned that hospitals and partner nursing homes could be overwhelmed. So, they planned for more complex home care to help transition patients out of the hospital sooner and also to reduce hospital visits.<\/p>\n

Even though strict safety measures are in place at all OSF HealthCare clinical facilities, some people prefer to avoid going places where COVID-19 patients are being cared for.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we can provide care at home safely, it\u2019s better for everybody,\u201d said J.J. Guedet, vice president of operations and strategy for Home Health Administration<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Want to be a home health nurse?<\/p>\n

Apply today<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

J.J. estimates that before the pandemic, 70% of home care patients were those who required assistance after being discharged from the hospital. The other 30% were in preventive care mode, trying to avoid hospitalization.<\/p>\n

Post-hospital care has not gone away. But the demand for preventive home care today is soaring \u2013 and the demand for home care nurses is on the same path.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is huge opportunity for home health nurses. It\u2019s remarkable. We could grow by 20% tomorrow if we had the personnel to do it,\u201d J.J. said.<\/p>\n

Round-the-clock care<\/h2>\n

Home health care gives families peace of mind. They don\u2019t have to find transportation to doctor appointments or be concerned with going out in bad weather. They don\u2019t have to worry about risking exposure to infectious diseases in public. And they have 24\/7 access to a nurse.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can call our after-hours triage line, and we answer your questions,\u201d Lois said. \u201cIf you need a nurse in the middle of the night, we will send one to your home.\u201d<\/p>\n

While most services are provided in person, in your home, clinicians also use phone and video visits to provide care.<\/p>\n

The home health nurse works with a team<\/a>, but personally performs tasks that range from changing dressings on wounds to taking lab samples. Nurses make sure you are taking your prescriptions and correctly performing therapy exercises.<\/p>\n

Other in-home services include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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