Beyond the Visit: What Makes Home Health Therapists Tick (and Stick)? A Comparative Survey of Operational Factors and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Background:

Rehabilitation services in the home health setting are targeted to optimize patient function and safety. However, with rising turnover rates and increasing reports of clinician burnout, it is crucial to understand clinicians’ perspectives. This study aims to compare job satisfaction across different rehabilitation disciplines working in home healthcare to identify the unique benefits and challenges faced by each.

Methods:

To capture clinicians’ perspectives, an online survey was sent to home health clinicians via multiple platforms. The survey included a Likert-style scale to rate 5 home health components, including scheduling, traveling, environment, documentation, and overall job satisfaction. Data was gathered and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and statistical analysis was done using Jamovia software.

Results:

Data analysis of responses from the rehabilitation disciplines revealed similar satisfaction ratings regarding scheduling, environment and documentation, while notable differences emerged in relation to traveling. Occupational therapists (OTs) and speech language pathologists (SLPs) showed statistically significant differences (p < .005) in traveling satisfaction score as compared to physical therapists (PTs). Overall, PTs and SLPs reported higher job satisfaction with the home health setting compared to OTs (p < .005).

Conclusion:

Our study revealed both similarities and differences in satisfaction levels across different home health components among the 3 rehabilitation disciplines. This paper presents these findings and offers recommendations aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of rehabilitation clinicians.