Outpatient therapy can be beneficial to individuals who are recovering from an injury, surgery or illness. Outpatient therapy is a course of treatment that supports a patient’s recovery and rehabilitation and can be delivered in a clinic setting or at home. A physician will provide a plan of care for patients and will decide whether outpatient therapy is right for each individual patient. Some patients may benefit from receiving outpatient therapy in the home setting, while others may benefit more from a clinic environment. Finding the right environment for rehabilitation can shape the recovery of an individual. The patient’s physician will decide which environment is best for each individual patient’s needs.
What Are the Benefits of Outpatient Therapy at Home?
Maximize Quality of Life
Outpatient therapy programs vary but typically include physical and occupational therapy. It can also include speech therapy. Outpatient therapy can be utilized to reduce the risk of falls and proactively prevent future injuries. It is also commonly utilized after an injury, surgery or illness. It is an integral part of the road to recovery and focuses on maximizing strength, endurance and balance to regain functional independence. This helps to improve the quality of life for the patient and helps to get people back to living their normal lifestyles.
Reduce Readmission to the Hospital
Outpatient therapy programs can help to reduce avoidable readmissions to the hospital by creating a plan of care following physician protocols and individualized to the patient. There are quality benefits to receiving care in-person, rather than through telehealth offerings. Using home-based care services such as home health, hospice, home care and outpatient therapy at home can improve the coordination of care between settings to reduce avoidable hospital readmissions. Reducing readmissions also leads to cost savings for the health systems.
Convenient for Patients and Clinicians
Receiving outpatient therapy at home provides flexibility and convenience for patients. Traveling to a clinic can be burdensome on a patient and home-based therapy allows the patient to recover in the comfort and convenience of their own home without disrupting their day-to-day routine. Patients can receive care that is catered to their schedule, allowing for appointments to be scheduled outside of normal business hours. This model also creates scheduling flexibility for the clinicians providing the care. Read our blog post about home-based orthopedic rehab here.
Individualized Care
Outpatient therapy at home allows for dedicated, uninterrupted time with the patient and clinician, ensuring that the patient receives a personalized level of care following the physician’s protocols. The physician will decide on the best care setting for each patient. Providers of outpatient therapy at home will create a plan of care that can include services such as physical, occupational or speech therapy customized to the patient’s unique medical needs, lifestyle and requirements.
Conclusion
The demand for home-based care has been increasing in recent years and Medicare spending for care at home is projected to increase 3-4x by 2025, driven by value-based care and the growing senior demographic. Outpatient therapy is now offered in the home setting rather than a clinic, which provides convenience for patients and provides an optimal setting for individualized care. Outpatient therapy is an important part of the recovery process for many patients recovering from an injury, surgery or illness. It can help patients improve their quality of life, reduce the risk of readmission to the hospital and help patients get back to living an independent lifestyle.
