Managed care. An opportunity for home care agencies.

It is clear, even in the future of health care reform, that home care is a growing component of the health care industry. For many years, fee for service was the model reimbursement method. Today we are in a changing health care system that requires a greater emphasis on home care cost containment. New methods of reimbursement are a part of the change. Progressive home care agencies see this as an opportunity to become leaders. This approach does not come without certain risks, however. In taking the risks, it is imperative to minimize the chances for problems, obstacles, and compromising the quality of patient care. It requires that the agency develop a strategy, set a course, and then devote the resources necessary to meet these challenges. Resources may mean investing in upgraded information systems, hiring clinical specialists to develop care plans and protocols, or developing in-house case management staff to allow the agency to monitor use and quality. One thing is clear--the old way of doing business, cost-based fee for service, has a limited life span, and agencies need to embrace these changes, not ignore them.