Home health care: pediatric education in the community

The purpose of this paper is to describe a curricular innovation involving a community home health care (HHC) experience for third-year medical students as an integral part of a pediatric clerkship. Students at George Washington University are required to participate in an afternoon of HHC visits, one of which requires their reviewing a patient's record before the visit. They then do a pertinent history and a focused physical examination, followed by an assessment and plan, and provide integrated care with the home health care professional. They record this information on a consultation form that is reviewed and evaluated by the clerkship director. Most students have rated this experience positively. A questionnaire before and after the HHC experience and a wrap-up session at the conclusion of the rotation revealed that students are becoming more informed about aspects of home health care and have more positive attitudes about their identified role as future physicians in this important area.