Measuring Costs and Quality of TeleHomecare

Abstract

Home care agencies must explore alternative methods of care delivery if they are to remain competitive in the health care market of the future. The use of TeleHomecare can help agencies maintain a high level of quality while reducing costs. Since this is a relatively new modality of care delivery, there is a need to monitor and document outcomes. Physicians, managed care companies, and public policy makers will require reliable and valid data before they can become advocates of TeleHomecare. This article describes how one TeleHomecare program has developed an outcome-oriented database and how these data are used in marketing the program.