O-199 Evaluation Of Home Health Care Services

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the status and results of home health care services conducted for paediatric patients in our hospital and to identify the medical needs of patients for a better quality of service delivery. Materials and methods Paediatric patients recorded by our hospital's Home Health Services Unit (HHSU) and followed-up regularly for one year were included. Demographic data like age, gender, diagnosis, number of doctor visits, non-physician health care visits and the reasons of requested visits were collected retrospectively between November 2012-December 2013. Results A total of 63 patients were included in the study. 54% of patients were male, 46% were female. The mean age of the patients was 8.87 +/- 4.6. Diagnose of the patients was 58.7% of cerebral palsy (CP) and motor mental retardation (MMR) followed by subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in 11% of patients. Tracheostomy was present in 34.9% of patients, 13 patients (20.6%) with chronic respiratory failure had home ventilation and 14.2% of the patients was receiving oxygen from a tracheotomy. 28.6% of patients were not dependent on medical devices however, all of the patients were in need of physical therapy and rehabilitation. The mean number of doctor visits for a patient was 1.89 +/- 1.23 (median: 2) times per year. The number of visits of non-physician health care professionals working in home health care services were 13.7 +/- 14.8 (median: 10) times per year. In our study primary care was given by mother in 95.2% of the patients. Conclusion With home health care services, children with special health care needs can be followed at home and fascilitating hospital discharge. This condition reduces costs and brings many advantages in social aspects. Home health care service is very important in offering positive factors to patients and families. Identification of deficiencies in this service will improve quality in the future. The medical care of dental disease and eye disease in terms of home health care is necessary in the future for children with special health care needs. These services must include social services especially in children.