How to Grow Clinician and Caregiver Specialists on Your Team
In the Know
Patient-acuity levels will continue rising, forcing agencies to become more specialized. Rising acuity levels are not new in this market; we’ve been tracking this trend since 2013. But today, we see the issue growing exponentially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an article for Home Health Care News this week, Robert Holly outlines the Top Ten Health Trends for 2021. Of the six trends he highlights, there is one that cannot be ignored. Holly predicts, “Patient-acuity levels will continue rising, forcing agencies to become more specialized.”
Rising acuity levels are not new in this market; we’ve been tracking this trend since 2013. But today, we see the issue growing exponentially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Other factors driving this trend include:
- Roughly one out of every four home health patients is over the age of 85.
- Nearly half of all home health users suffer from five or more chronic conditions.
- Home health users are more likely to live alone and have two or more functional limitations.
Robert’s advice: “To keep up with rising acuity, home health agencies will need to become even more specialized, with dedicated programs addressing respiratory health, wound care, heart health, and more.”
What are clinician and caregiver specialists?
Your agency needs clinician and caregiver specialists. But, what does that mean, and how do you get them?
Clinician and Caregiver Specialists have advanced training in common conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, or wound care. This advanced training ensures care delivery that is more confident and more competent, leading to better client outcomes and increased client satisfaction.
It’s easier than you think!
Now, it’s easier than ever to get all the clinician and caregiver courses you need in one eLearning portal.
On the caregiver side, look for Caregiver Specialist Learning Paths in the following topics:
- Alzheimer’s Disease (8 Hours)
- Diabetes Care (7 hours)
- Behavioral Health (8 hours)
- Infection Control (8 hours)
- Preventing Readmissions
- Palliative Care (8 Hours)
- Basic Cooking Skills (5 hours)
- Cooking for Chronic Conditions (8 Hours)
Consider assigning your clinicians some of these advanced topics:
- Advanced Pain Management in Home Care and Hospice (5 Courses)
- Home Care of the Patient with Advanced Heart Disease (3 Courses)
- Home Care of the Patient with Advanced Lung Disease (2 Courses)
- Hospice Care of the Patient with Advanced Heart Disease (2 Courses)
Make 2021 your year to specialize!
Start 2021 one step ahead of the competition by adding an advanced specialist curriculum to your initial and ongoing training. Please schedule a demo today to find out how easy it is to grow advanced clinicians and caregivers with In the Know!
