Home Health Care Reengineered

Abstract

This article applies the corporate strategies of reengineering to the home care setting. Examples are given of meaningful ways to apply these principles and strategies to the home care organization. Leadership involvement and development are discussed as key components to the successful restructuring/reengineering project. Key strategies include work redesign, task breakdown analysis and reintegration, clinical pathways, information technology enhancement, and patient-focused care teams. Receptiveness to change and establishment of a new organizational culture in which learning is valued are integral components of home care reengineering. The myriad of credentialling standards is taken into consideration in the article's discussion of implemented changes.