Little details are easy to forget when a loved one receives care from many providers and caregivers. One doctor may remember the patient prefers liquid medication, while another doesn’t recall that fact until a caregiver reminds them. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. 

Home care coordination streamlines patient care through the intentional organization of all activities and by sharing information with every provider and caregiver. Making information accessible to everyone lets patients benefit from safe, holistic, and effective care. 

It may take time to build consensus among all providers and caregivers, but these home care coordination tips will help initiate a process to improve care for your loved one. 

The Importance of Home Care Coordination

There is a lot to balance when a loved one receives home health care. With different providers and medical team members visiting the home and caring for other patients, it can be difficult to remember details about the prescription list, test results, therapy appointments, and personal preferences.

Home care coordination prioritizes meeting each patient’s needs and preferences through delivering high-quality health care. 

Benefits of home care coordination include: 

• Improved Patient Outcomes. Patients are more likely to complete their treatment or recovery plan with a coordinated care model. They’re also less likely to be readmitted to the hospital. 
• Patient-Centric. Providers make every decision with the patient’s best interest in mind. When providers work together, they can make decisions collaboratively rather than in silos. This partnership improves the patient’s care and overall experience. 
• Prevents Information Loss and Mistakes. Rather than relying on the patient or their loved ones to remember the details of prior incidents, diagnoses, or appointments with other doctors, coordinated care enables all providers to see the notes and review documentation before meeting with the patient. It helps minimize the margin for human error. 
• Increased Quality and Availability of Care. An established plan and vault of information about the patient enables caregivers from home health agencies to join the care team more seamlessly. They can read up about the patient before arriving and spend time getting to know the patient on a human level, rather than asking about medication allergies and other critical but mundane things.

Challenges of Home Care Coordination

Getting buy-in from every provider and caregiver may not happen immediately, especially if it requires them to alter their current methods, learn a new software program, or release some of the control they’re accustomed to. But navigating through a bumpy patch or two is worthwhile when it means the patient receives more personalized care. 

Potential difficulties with home care coordination include:

• Disagreements. There may be disagreements about treating symptoms, what medications to prescribe, or other needs with multiple providers working together. It’s essential to have a team willing to listen to others and build a care plan that indicates which voices will speak loudest and in which scenarios.
• Consistency. Home health agencies can experience high staff turnover, and you may regularly have new people caring for your loved one. 
• Communication. Regular communication between all caregivers and providers is necessary, especially as trust builds at the onset of care. Communication challenges can be overcome when communication norms and platforms are established, and everyone works to provide swift responses.
• Organization. Record-keeping and organization are ongoing tasks, and all care team members must have access to the patient’s information. Everyone must be diligent in completing and sharing their case notes and make time to review what others submit. 

Home Care Coordination Tips

If you decide to implement coordinated care for your loved one, implement these helpful tips to initiate the process. 

Conduct a Thorough Assessment

When home care begins, a professional member of your loved one’s care team will thoroughly assess the patient’s needs to determine what help they need. This assessment extends beyond medical care. It identifies services necessary to help them comfortably live at home and stay activities. As a result of the evaluation, a social worker may help arrange transportation to appointments or church, offer to speak with insurance companies regarding bills, find adaptive equipment for the home, or order medical supplies. 

Establish a Care Plan

Care plans contain the patient’s health care details, requirements, and goals, clearly stating what needs are, who is responsible, and the parameters for altering plans. The care plan results from discussion with the patient, caregivers, and medical providers. 

Maintain Ongoing Communication

There’s no such thing as too much communication when it comes to hearing from health care professionals about your loved one’s condition. Establish norms for debriefing following appointments and therapy sessions to hear about the next steps, and regularly ask questions or share feedback on how things are going. When you get complex or dense medical information, repeat it to the professional using your own words. Known as the “teach-back” technique, the provider will correct any misunderstandings and further clarify when needed. 

Remember the Details

Your loved one’s comfort is likely your top priority. But it’s essential to have a plan for addressing all the tertiary areas of their life. When healthcare coordination is the focus, you can forget things like finances, legal issues, and household maintenance. If your plate is full, consider adding a family member or friend to the care team to handle these matters.

Utilize Technology

Consider using a mobile application or care coordination software built specifically for care coordination for one-touch access to medical records and direct communication with providers and caregivers. Also, be sure to use each provider’s online portals for quick access to the medical information on the go. 

Build a Back Up Plan

While you may serve a primary role in caring for your loved one, have other individuals involved in their care so that if you are incapable of continuing to support the patient, there is consistency in their care. It may also be helpful to know of other specialists and providers in the area who may be able to take over medical care should your existing provider retire, leave, or need to be replaced for another reason. 

Use Fokes for Care Communication

The three-prong communication platform, Fokes, can support home care coordination by enabling real-time and transparent communication between caregivers, families, and care agencies. Explore the Fokes app to see how it can support your goals for providing optimal patient care by holding all information and communication in one place. Work with Fokes to ensure your loved one receives the best care possible.