Home-Based Palliative Care: Toward a Balanced Care Design

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Services Research
• Palliative Care Medicine

Background:

• The home-based palliative care (HBPC) industry is rapidly expanding to serve seriously ill adults.
• HBPC programs deliver palliative services in patients' homes, showing potential for better outcomes and reduced costs compared to usual care.
• The growth of HBPC may be driven by its financial potential, raising concerns about equitable access and benefit distribution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify potential quality issues within the growing HBPC sector.
• To propose strategies for safeguarding and ensuring the quality of home-based palliative care.
• To analyze key trends impacting HBPC quality and cost, including payment models, patient enrollment, staff management, and visit frequency.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of emerging trends in the home-based palliative care industry.
• Examination of factors influencing care quality and cost within HBPC programs.
• Review of current practices in patient enrollment, staff management, and service delivery.

Main Results:

• Several trends in HBPC, including payment structures and patient management, have significant implications for care quality and cost.
• Potential inequities in accessing HBPC benefits may arise due to industry growth and financial incentives.
• Specific areas like patient enrollment, staff management, and visit frequency require careful consideration to maintain quality.

Conclusions:

• Proactive strategies are needed to address potential quality and equity challenges in the expanding HBPC sector.
• Recommendations focus on developing robust quality metrics, ensuring transparent patient disclosures, and guiding future research.
• Ensuring equitable access to high-quality home-based palliative care is crucial as the industry grows.