HHCN Poll: 31% of Home-Based Care Providers Have Been Affected by COVID-19

Over the past few weeks, nursing home operators have been working in overdrive, trying to avoid a fate similar to the Kirkland, Washington-based long-term care facility devastated by COVID-19.

While home health providers are also gearing up for increased patient capacity and challenges associated with the coronavirus, their operations remain mostly stable — for now. But for that to continue, the entire industry will need to quickly come together with government officials to streamline discharge protocols, alleviate burdensome requirements and secure vital supplies.

Just 31% of home-based care organizations say their operations have been affected by the spread of COVID-19, an HHCN survey of about 150 provider representatives found. HHCN conducted the survey online from March 5 through March 13.

Advocates are doing everything in their power to keep that figure low.

“We’ve been in very regular conversations with members of the COVID taskforce at the White House and with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) about what they could do to assist home health care in being more nimble and flexible to combat the virus, perhaps facilitating regulatory waivers and other [forms of] relief,” Joanne Cunningham, executive director of the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare (PQHH), told Home Health Care News. “I would say the entire home- and community-based sector has been working together.”

Click here to read the full article on the Home Health Care News website.