Virtual long term care: What will it take?

Virtual sickcare has accelerated due to COVID. It has also spawned the hospital at home industry

2022 marks the 35th?anniversary of the passage of the Nursing Home Reform Act as part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, the federal legislation that substantially strengthened federal standards, inspections and enforcement of nursing home quality. The Act also merged Medicare and Medicaid standards, required comprehensive assessments of residents, set minimal requirements for licensed nursing staff, and required inspections to focus on outcomes of care.?While progress has been made, care quality issues in nursing homes and residential care facilities?(also called assisted living) continue to be highlighted frequently in the press and by numerous government reports?and research studies?.?Recurring concerns include staffing levels, abuse and neglect, unmet resident needs, quality problems, worker training and competency, and lack of integration with medical care. The last several decades also have seen a shift to home care and other community-based services, with few quality measures for these settings available and little empirical evidence available.

The long term care industry is also being virtualized. But, what will it take to achieve widespread adoption and penetration?

1. An interoperable data infrastructure
2. Data standards
3. Integration of sickcare and public health information interoperability
4. Better confidentiality, privacy and security
5. More active participation of members of the patient care community, including family members
6. Care coordination platforms that bridge the sickcare team with the patient care community team
7. Integration of social service providers
8. Data analytics and better use of technologies, like artificial intelligence and extended reality
9. Changes in reimbursement for services
10. Models that reduce the need for low wage, hard to find staffers, aides and employees
11. Intermediaries that are tasked with managing the information tsunami so as not to overburden an already overwhelmed sickcare workforce
12. Public and healthcare professional education and training in virtual care and data literacy
13. Different business models
14. Workforce education and training reform A Health Affairs study found that 19.7% of all healthcare support workers have faced food insecurity in the past month. The Home Healthcare Workers of America says its members live in poverty and have a 20% annual turnover. These workers are 95% black women who make an average of $15 an hour.
15. State and federal regulatory and oversight reform

Long term care is having a hard time confronting the Omicron wave.

The virtual sickcare system continues to evolve. The public health system and the long term care system are as well. Each represents an opportunity for those that see them. LIke Walgreens.

Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA is the President and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs

Updated 4/25/2022