Telehealth could help ease home care crisis

A HOME care provider that delivers services on the Mornington Peninsula says the current home care crisis could be alleviated by more people accessing the telehealth option. Floyd Gomes, who runs Atticus Health, says many peninsula residents are still waiting for home care, with providers Mecwacare and Bolton Clark struggling to find staff since taking. According to a Mornington Peninsula-based HOME care provider, more people using the telehealth option could help to ease the present home care crisis. Since Mecwacare and Bolton Clark took over the service from Mornington Peninsula Shire Council earlier this year, Floyd Gomes, the CEO of Atticus Health, says many peninsula people are still waiting for home care. According to input from his own home care managers, clients affected by the service transition and ongoing staff shortage are still having to wait a very long time for services. To address this, they have been instructed to call the service providers Mecwacare and Bolton Clarke repeatedly and request that they escalate the situation. 

Telehealth, or the use of electronic communication and information technologies to provide clinical health care services remotely, has the potential to revolutionize home care for patients. Some benefits of telehealth in home care include:

• Convenience: Telehealth allows patients to receive care from the comfort of their own homes, without the need to travel to a healthcare facility. This can be particularly beneficial for patients who have mobility issues or live in rural or underserved areas.
• Reduced costs: Telehealth can potentially reduce healthcare costs by reducing the need for in-person visits, as well as the associated costs of transportation and time off work.
• Improved access to care: Telehealth can improve access to care for patients who may not have the ability to travel to a healthcare facility, or who may have difficulty scheduling appointments due to work or other commitments.
• Enhanced communication: Telehealth allows for more frequent and efficient communication between patients and their healthcare providers, which can improve the quality and continuity of care.
• Improved patient outcomes: Studies have shown that telehealth can lead to improved patient outcomes, including reduced hospitalization rates and improved management of chronic conditions.