Health services are a set of activities that contribute to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and amelioration of illness, disease or injury. They also include activities that promote general wellbeing and health education.
Professionals can advance their careers in health services by returning to school for a degree, earning certification and licensure, or joining a professional organization. They can also choose to pursue a concentration to help them stand out on the job market.
Home health care
Home Health care services are provided by trained healthcare professionals in the comfort of your own home. These services are typically short-term and supervised by your doctor. The home health team may include nurses, aides and physical, occupational and speech therapists.
Medically-necessary home health care is often covered in full or in part by Medicare, Medicaid and private long-term care insurance plans. These benefits help to keep patients out of the hospital and in their homes as they recover from illness or injury.
To qualify for home health, a physician must order care and sign off on a plan of treatment that includes an evaluation of your condition to determine whether you are homebound. You must also be able to safely and securely live at home.
Home health aides
Home health aides help clients with daily tasks, so they can focus on their physical and mental well-being. They also observe their clients and report changes to a registered nurse or other healthcare professional. This career requires compassion, flexibility and physical stamina.
Aides perform duties like shopping and running errands, preparing meals and providing companionship. They often escort their patients to medical appointments, as well. They are also responsible for helping patients use medication and equipment.
Because home aides work closely with their clients, they must be honest and trustworthy. They also need to be punctual, as their clients and agency depend on them to arrive at work on time. If they are not, it can cause undue stress and worry for the client.
Dietitians
Dietitians are trained health professionals who understand that food plays a vital role in overall wellness. In fact, a healthy diet can help you live longer and prevent certain diseases.
A registered dietitian nutritionist, or RD/RDN, is qualified to assess an individual’s nutritional needs and prescribe diet and lifestyle changes for optimal wellness. This professional holds at least a bachelor’s degree and completed a supervised internship, as well as passed a national standardized test.
Geriatric registered dietitians, or geriatric certified specialists (CSG), specialize in the dietary needs of older adults. They can help you cut through fad trends, like the Paleo diet, green smoothies and souping, to create a wholesome meal plan that meets your nutritional needs. Assisted living communities also employ dietitians to ensure the meal options meet regulatory requirements, taste good and fit the food preferences of residents.
Medical equipment
Medical equipment companies supply a range of supplies that help patients manage their condition at home. These supplies vary in complexity and size from simple tongue depressors, medical thermometers, and disposable gloves to complex diagnostic and therapeutic devices that are implanted into a patient’s body and monitor vital signs and functions.
The definition of “medical device” has been debated many times by clinical engineering/HTM professionals. It’s important to understand the difference between medical equipment and medical devices. Medical devices require higher levels of FDA approval and typically have more specific intended uses than medical equipment.
Most private insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid cover DME expenses. However, the deductible and coinsurance must be met before the supplier will accept payment. Some companies also offer loan programs for patients who are unable to afford DME expenses.
Transportation
At the recent White House Conference on Aging, seniors ranked assuring availability of transportation options at the top of their policy priorities, even ahead of Medicare and Medicaid issues. This reflects a growing understanding among aging-service professionals and transportation experts that access to reliable transportation is essential for health maintenance.
Some aging-service programs use the purpose of travel as a criteria for eligibility, while others do not. A free 211 phone number is available nationwide for people seeking information and referrals to community services. It can also connect you with a free database of transportation options. Additionally, if you are in a managed-care plan, your care provider’s customer service department can provide information about medical transportation benefits. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer this service, but it varies by plan.
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