The Role of the Physician in VA Team Managed Home Based Primary Care

Kubal JD, Hughes SL, Weaver FM. The Role of the Physician in VA Team Managed Home Based Primary Care. Paper presented at: Gerontological Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting; 1997 Nov 14; Cincinnati, OH.

Changes in the health care environment-- such as a shift from costly inpatient care to less expensive outpatient services-- have been the trend throughout the U.S. over the last few decades. As a result, the acceptance and popularity of at-home medical care have been increasing steadily and home care programs are growing. With home care, patients can receive quality care in a familiar setting with the assistance of relatives, friends, and neighbors. The VA began exploring this alternative to traditional inpatient services for selected veterans by organizing a formal home care program in the early 1970s. Staff at the Cooperative Studies Program Coordinating Center (CSPCC) Chairpersons office at Hines VA Hospital, IL began conducting an annual survey of all home based primary care (HBPC) programs in 1993. Designed to collect data on structure, process characteristics, and temporal trends in the programs, the survey is part of a larger VA project testing the cost and effectiveness of the HBPC program. The survey achieved a 95% response rate, and completed questionnaires were received from 70 of 74 active HBPC programs. Additional information on survey methodology and 1993 baseline survey data were reported by Weaver, et al.