The HHC has accepted 191 new patients during this year and the team conducted an overall 9677 home visits, of them 249 home visits were during out of office hours. The HHC likewise received 4823 telephone call from patients of them 275 urgent calls during out of office hours. For these groups of patients the HHC team provides integrated nursing and medical services to the patients as follow:
1- Palliative care
HHC provide multidisciplinary approach involving specialized medical care for HHC patients with serious illnesses. It focuses on providing these patients with relief from the symptoms, pain, physical stress, and mental stress of a serious illness—whatever the diagnosis. The goal of such therapy is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. The HHC clinical care coordinator maintains an up to date palliative care register to facilitate first class service for this exceptional group of patients.
2- Opiates infusion
The HHC team provides subcutaneous infusions in the home for cancer population with moderate to severe pain and the enteral route is not feasible, reliable, pill burden is excessive or unpredictable escalating pain pattern in collaboration with palliative consultant.
3- IVAB
Via central line or peripheral line.
4- Home mechanical ventilation:
The HHC team provides primary and continuing medical care for this group of patients in the community.
5- Home Enzyme Replacement therapy (HERT)
The HHC team distinguishes that home-based therapy is more comfortable, less stressful, and more effective and had less impact on patient and family life when compared to hospital-based therapy. The HERT administration can last for 6 hours requiring the HHC nurse to be present during the administration.
6- Parental Nutrition (PN)
Feeding a person intravenously, bypassing the usual process of eating and digestion.
7- Tracheostomy care
HHC team provides home based tracheostomy change/care.
8- Gastrostomy care / change
Gastrostomy is a tube inserted through a small incision in the abdomen into the stomach and is used for long-term enteral nutrition.
9- Wound care
Acute or chronic wounds: All patients with wounds will have their wounds appropriately assessed by HHC nursing staff within 24hours of recognition. The HHC provide Negative-pressure wound therapy to their patient whenever it is indicated. In 2015 the HHC delivered 1336 wound care visits including complex wound needing V.A.C (Vacuum-Assisted Closure).
10- Blood draw
This service is helping to increase the likelihood that the patient can continue to stay at home.
11- Other services
General nursing care, vital signs checking, POC testing, Foley’s catheter change, Central line dressing care.
1- Primary & medical follow-up
The HHC physician together with HHC team provides home health care patients with required primary and medical follow-up to allow for appropriate management of chronic and acute problem in the community at the patient’s own home including medication refill service.
2- Medical evaluation
The HHC physician will examine patients, conduct diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, and educate patients, families, and caregivers about management of chronic diseases.
3- Management plan
The Home health care physician also take account of physical, emotional and social factors when diagnosing illness and recommending the required treatment.
4- Referral to hospital clinics
The HHC physician will refer the patient to hospital clinics for further assessment and possibly for treatment when indicated.
5- Medical reports
The physician provides reports and updates of patient’s condition and needs to other services.