The primary care and other health system use of home care patients: a retrospective cohort analysis

Primary, allied health, selected specialists, and mental health service utilisation by home care recipients in Australia before and after accessing the care, 2017-2019

OBJECTIVES

To examine changes in primary, allied health, selected specialists, and mental health service utilisation by older people in the year before and after accessing home care package (HCP) services.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study using the Registry of Senior Australians Historical National Cohort (≥ 65 years old), including individuals accessing HCP services between 2017 and 2019 (N = 109,558), was conducted. The utilisation of general practice (GP) attendances, health assessments, chronic disease management plans, allied health services, geriatric, pain, palliative, and mental health services, subsidised by the Australian Government Medicare Benefits Schedule, was assessed in the 12 months before and after HCP access, stratified by HCP level (1-2 vs. 3-4, i.e., lower vs. higher care needs). Relative changes in service utilisation 12 months before and after HCP access were estimated using adjusted risk ratios (aRR) from Generalised Estimating Equation Poisson models.

RESULTS

Utilisation of health assessments (7-10.2%), chronic disease management plans (19.7-28.2%), and geriatric, pain, palliative, and mental health services (all ≤ 2.5%) remained low, before and after HCP access. Compared to 12 months prior to HCP access, 12 months after, GP after-hours attendances increased (HCP 1-2 from 6.95 to 7.5%, aRR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.03-1.11; HCP 3-4 from 7.76 to 9.32%, aRR = 1.20, 95%CI 1.13-1.28) and allied health services decreased (HCP 1-2 from 34.8 to 30.7%, aRR = 0.88, 95%CI 0.87-0.90; HCP levels 3-4 from 30.5 to 24.3%, aRR = 0.80, 95%CI 0.77-0.82).

CONCLUSIONS

Most MBS subsidised preventive, management and specialist services are underutilised by older people, both before and after HCP access and small changes are observed after they access HCP.

Inter-provincial variation in older home care clients and their pathways: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Canada

BACKGROUND

In Canada, publicly-funded home care programs enable older adults to remain and be cared for in their home for as long as possible but they often differ in types of services offered, and the way services are delivered. This paper examines whether these differing approaches to care shape the pathway that home care clients will take. Older adult client pathways refer to trajectories within, and out of, the home care system (e.g., improvement, long term care (LTC) placement, death).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of home care assessment data (RAI-HC was linked with health administrative data, long-term care admissions and vital statistics in Nova Scotia Health (NSH) and Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA). The study cohort consists of clients age 60 + years, admitted to home care between January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013 and up to four years from baseline. Differences in home care service use, client characteristics and their pathways were tested across the two jurisdictions overall, and among the four discharge streams within jurisdictions using t-tests and chi-square tests of significance.

RESULTS

NS and WHRA clients were similar in age, sex, and marital status. NS clients had higher levels of need (ADL, cognitive impairment, CHESS) at base line and were more likely discharged to LTC (43% compared to 38% in WRHA). Caregiver distress was a factor correlated with being discharged to LTC. While a third remained as home care clients after 4 years; more than half were no longer in the community - either discharged to LTC placement or death. Such discharges occurred on average at around two years, a relatively short time period.

CONCLUSIONS

By following older clients over 4 years, we provide enhanced evidence of client pathways, the characteristics that influence these paths, as well as the length of time to the outcomes. This evidence is central to identification of clients at risk in the community and aids in planning for future home care servicing needs that will allow more older adults to remain living in the community.

The association between receipt of home care rehabilitation services and acute care hospital utilization in clients with multimorbidity following an acute care unit discharge: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Individuals experiencing multimorbidity have more complex healthcare needs, use more healthcare services, and access multiple service providers across the healthcare continuum. They also experience higher rates of functional decline. Rehabilitation therapists are well positioned to address these functional needs; however, little is known about the influence of rehabilitation therapy on patient outcomes, and subsequent unplanned healthcare utilization for people with multimorbidity. The aims of this study were to: 1) describe and compare the characteristics of people with multimorbidity receiving: home care rehabilitation therapy alone, other home care services without rehabilitation therapy, and the combination of home care rehabilitation therapy and other home care services, and 2) determine the association between home care rehabilitation therapy and subsequent healthcare utilization among those recently discharged from an acute care unit.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study used linked health administrative data housed within ICES, Ontario, Canada. The cohort included long-stay home care clients experiencing multimorbidity who were discharged from acute care settings between 2007-2015 (N = 43,145). Descriptive statistics, ANOVA's, t-tests, and chi-square analyses were used to describe and compare cohort characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression was used to understand the association between receipt of rehabilitation therapy and healthcare utilization.

RESULTS

Of those with multimorbidity receiving long-stay home care services, 45.5% had five or more chronic conditions and 46.3% required some assistance with ADLs. Compared to people receiving other home care services, those receiving home care rehabilitation therapy only were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital (OR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.73-0.83) and use emergency department services (OR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.69-0.78) within the first 3-months following hospital discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Receipt of rehabilitation therapy was associated with less unplanned healthcare service use when transitioning from hospital to home among persons with multimorbidity. These findings suggest rehabilitation therapy may help to reduce the healthcare burden for individuals and health systems. Future research should evaluate the potential cost savings and health outcomes associated with providing rehabilitation therapy services for people with multimorbidity.

Prognostic Association Between Frailty and Post-Arrest Health Outcomes in Patients Receiving Home Care: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study

AIM

To evaluate the association between frailty and post-cardiac arrest survival, functional decline, and cognitive decline, among patients receiving home care METHODS: Frailty was measured using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and a valid frailty index. We used multivariable logistic regression to measure the association between frailty and post-arrest outcomes after adjusting for age, sex, and arrest setting. Functional independence and cognitive performance were measured using the interRAI ADL Long-Form and Cognitive Performance Scale, respectively. We conducted sub-group analytics of in-hospital and out-of-hospital arrests RESULTS: Our cohort consisted of 7,901 home care clients; most patients arrested out-of-hospital (55.4%) and were 75 years or older (66.3%). Most of the cohort was classified as frail (94.2%), with a CFS score of 5 or greater. The 30-day survival rate was higher for in-hospital (26.6%) than out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (5.2%). Most patients who survived to discharge had declines in post-arrest functional independence (65.8%) and cognitive performance (46.5%). A one-point increase in the CFS decreased the odds of 30-day survival by 8% (aOR=0.92; 95%CI = 0.87-0.97). A 0.1 unit increase in the frailty index reduced 30-day survival odds by 9% (aOR = 0.91; 95%CI = 0.86-0.96). The frailty index was associated with declines in functional independence (OR = 1.16; 95%CI = 1.02-1.31) and cognitive performance (OR = 1.24; 95%CI = 1.09-1.42), while the CFS was not.

CONCLUSION

Frailty is associated with cardiac arrest survival and post-arrest cognitive and functional status in patients receiving home care. Post-cardiac arrest cognitive and functional status are best predicted using more comprehensive frailty indices.

Home-Care Nurses' Experiences of Caring for Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Urinary Incontinence: An Interpretive Description Study

Introduction

A third of older adults with diabetes receiving home-care services have daily urinary incontinence. Despite this high prevalence of urinary incontinence, the condition is typically not recognized as a complication and thereby not detected or treated. Diabetes and urinary incontinence in older adults are associated with poorer functional status and lower quality of life. Home-care nurses have the potential to play an important role in supporting older adults in the management of these conditions. However, very little is known about home-care nurses’ care of this population.

Objective

The objective of this study was to explore how nurses care for older home-care clients with diabetes and incontinence.

Methods

This was an interpretive description study informed by a model of clinical complexity, and part of a convergent, mixed methods research study. Fifteen nurse participants were recruited from home-care programs in southern Ontario, Canada to participate in qualitative interviews. An interpretive description analytical process was used that involved constant comparative analysis and attention to commonalities and variance.

Results

The experiences of home-care nurses caring for this population is described in three themes and associated subthemes: (a) conducting a comprehensive nursing assessment with client and caregiver, (b) providing holistic treatment for multiple chronic conditions, and (c) collaborating with the interprofessional team. The provision of this care was hampered by a task-focused home-care system, limited opportunities to collaborate and communicate with other health-care providers, and the lack of health-care system integration between home care, primary care, and acute care.

Conclusion

The results suggest that nursing interventions for older adults with diabetes and incontinence should not only consider disease management of the individual conditions but pay attention to the broader social determinants of health in the context of multiple chronic conditions. Efforts to enhance health-care system integration would facilitate the provision of person-centred home care.

Lessons learned implementing and managing the DIVERT-CARE trial: practice recommendations for a community-based chronic disease self-management model

Background

Chronic disease management models of care provide an opportunity to assist home care clients to manage their disease burden. However, pragmatic trial management practices and lessons learned from such models are poorly illustrated in the literature.

Methods

We describe the processes of implementing a community-based cardiorespiratory self-management model, known as DIVERT-CARE, across the home care programs of three health regions in Canada. The DIVERT-CARE model is a multi-component complex intervention that identifies home care clients at the highest risk of deterioration and provides them with resources and capacity to manage their conditions. We conducted a retrospective analysis of baseline participant characteristics, needs assessments, reviewed findings from site visits and a national workshop with study partners, and examined other study documentation.

Results

Three home care regions in Canada participated in the study. A robust and data-driven review of each site was necessary to understand the local context, home care caseloads, structure of local systems, and intensity of resources, which influenced study processes. The creation of an intervention framework highlighted the need to adapt the intervention in a way that was sensitive to the local context while maintaining intervention outcomes.

Conclusion

Our detailed review showcases the relevant activities and on-the-ground steps needed to manage and conduct a multi-site pragmatic trial in home care. This example can help other researchers in implementing multi-disciplinary and multi-component care models for practice-based research.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02248-0.

Effect of Access to After-Hours Primary Care on the Association Between Home Nursing Visits and Same-Day Emergency Department Use

PURPOSE

Previous work has demonstrated that home care patients have an increased risk of visiting the emergency department after a home nursing visit on the same day. We investigated whether this association is modified by greater access to after-hours primary care.

METHODS

We conducted a population-based case-crossover study of home care patients in Ontario, Canada in 2014-2016. Emergency department visits after 5:00 pm were selected as case periods and matched, within the same patient, to control periods within the previous week. The association between home nursing visits and same-day emergency department visits was estimated with conditional logistic regression. Access to after-hours primary care, measured on the patient and practice level, was tested for effect modification using an interaction term approach. Analysis was performed separately for all emergency department visits and a less urgent subset not admitted to hospital.

RESULTS

A total of 11,840 patients contributed cases to the analysis. Patients with a history of after-hours primary care use had a smaller increased risk of a same-day after-hours emergency department visit (OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06-1.30) compared with patients with no after-hours care (OR = 1.31; 95% CI, 1.25-1.39). The modifying effect was stronger among emergency department visits not admitted to hospital (OR = 1.11; 95% CI, 0.97-1.28 vs OR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.31-1.51).

CONCLUSION

Greater access to after-hours primary care reduced the risk of less-urgent emergency department use associated with home nursing visits. These findings suggest increasing access to after-hours primary care could prevent some less-urgent emergency department visits.

Home Care Nursing Visits and Same-Day Emergency Department Use: Which Patients Are Most at Risk?

BACKGROUND

Home care patients are a growing group of community-dwelling older adults with complex care needs and high health service use. Adult home care patients are at high risk for emergency department (ED) visits, which is greater on the same day as a nursing visit.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to examine whether common nursing indicators modified the association between nursing visits and same-day ED visits.

METHODS

A case-crossover design within a retrospective cohort of adult home care patients in Ontario.

RESULTS

A total of 11,840 home care nursing patients were analyzed. Home care patients who received a home nursing visit were more likely to go the ED afterhours on the same day with a stronger association for visits not admitted to the hospital. Having a urinary catheter increased the risk of a same-day ED visit (OR: 1.78 (95% CI 1.15-1.60) vs. 1.21 (95% CI 1.15-1.28)). No other clinical indicator modified the association.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study can be used to inform care policies and practices for home care nurses in the management of indwelling urinary catheter complications. Further examination of system factors such as capacity and resources available to respond to catheter related complications in the community setting are recommended.

Physician Home Visit Patterns and Hospital Use Among Older Adults with Functional Impairments

BACKGROUND

Home-based primary care has been associated with reductions in hospital use among homebound older adults, but population-based studies on the general home visit patterns of primary care physicians are lacking.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the association between the provision of home visits by primary care physicians and subsequent use of hospital-based care among their older adult patients with extensive functional impairments.

DESIGN

Population-based retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

The setting was Ontario, Canada, from October 2014 to September 2016.

PARTICIPANTS

Older adults (aged ≥65 years) with extensive functional impairments receiving publicly funded home care.

MEASUREMENTS

We measured the provision of home visits by a patient's most responsible primary care physician during the year before a comprehensive home care assessment. Physician home visit patterns were measured as the proportion of the total outpatient visits in a year that were home visits, categorized with quartiles. Multivariable, multilevel negative binomial regression models examined the associations between physician-level home visit provision and patient emergency department visits and hospital admissions over the 6 months following the home care assessment.

RESULTS

There were 49,613 patients in the cohort who were linked to 8,096 unique primary care physicians. A total of 69.1% of physicians provided at least one home visit in a year, with the median proportion of home visits to total visits ranging from 0.057% to 3.19% across quartiles. Patients whose physicians were in the highest home visit provision quartile had lower rates of emergency department visits (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.90-0.96) and hospital admissions (IRR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.85-0.93) compared with patients whose physician did not do home visits.

CONCLUSION

Home care patients with extensive functional impairments whose physicians provided higher levels of home visits had fewer emergency department visits and hospital admissions. Expanding home visits by primary care physicians could reduce hospital use by older adults living with functional impairments in the community.

Associations between continuity of primary and specialty physician care and use of hospital-based care among community-dwelling older adults with complex care needs

Objective

While research suggests that higher continuity of primary and specialty physician care can improve patient outcomes, their effects have rarely been examined and compared concurrently. We investigated associations between continuity of primary and specialty physician care and emergency department visits and hospital admissions among community-dwelling older adults with complex care needs.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of home care patients in Ontario, Canada, from October 2014 to September 2016. We measured continuity of primary and specialty physician care over the two years prior to a home care assessment and categorized them into low, medium, and high groups using terciles of the distribution. We used Cox regression models to concurrently test the associations between continuity of primary and specialty care and risk of an emergency department visit and hospital admission within six months of assessment, controlling for potential confounders. We examined interactions between continuity of care and count of chronic conditions, count of physician specialties seen, functional impairment, and cognitive impairment.

Results

Of 178,686 participants, 49% had an emergency department visit during follow-up and 27% had a hospital admission. High vs. low continuity of primary care was associated with a reduced risk of an emergency department visit (HR = 0.90 (0.89–0.92)) as was continuity of specialty care (HR = 0.93 (0.91–0.95)). High vs. low continuity of primary care was associated also with a reduced risk of a hospital admission (HR = 0.94 (0.92–0.96)) as was continuity of specialty care (HR = 0.92 (0.90–0.94)). The effect of continuity of specialty care was moderately stronger among patients who saw four or more physician specialties.

Conclusion

Higher continuity of primary physician and specialty physician care had independent, protective effects of similar magnitude against emergency department use and hospital admissions. Improving continuity of specialty care should be a priority alongside improving continuity of primary care in complex, older adult populations with significant specialist use.