Continuity in the Provider of Home Health Aide Services and the Likelihood of Patient Improvement in Activities of Daily Living

Abstract

Receiving care from the same provider over time is an important dimension of continuity in home healthcare. In the present study, we examine whether continuity in the provider of home health aide services is associated with the likelihood of improvement in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). To address this research question, we retrieved clinical and administrative records from a population of cases receiving home health aide services at a large, urban, not-for-profit Medicare-certified home healthcare agency (N =16,541). Results revealed that cases which had high levels of continuity in the provider of home health aide services had a significantly greater likelihood of improvement in ADLs compared to cases with the lowest level of continuity.

Keywords

home health aides continuity of care activities of daily living functional improvement provider continuity outcomes

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