Current trends in home health care.

The historical development and future of home health-care (HHC) services are reviewed from the perspectives of hospitals and hospital pharmacists. Hospitals have had three choices available to them for offering HHC services: refer patients to outside vendor, establish joint ventures, or establish independent programs. The market strategies of HHC vendors are reviewed, and the factors that portend continued rapid growth for HHC are discussed. An active role by hospital pharmacy directors in planning hospital HHC services is advocated. HHC offers an opportunity for hospital pharmacists to contribute to the financial well-being of the institution and to better patient care.