Better Medical Care at Assisted Living Facilities: Bring the Team On-Site

ABSTRACT

Background: Home visits were an essential former practice where a patient is evaluated and treated in their own house. With a growing elderly population in personal care homes, some homebound visits on-site become a more necessary service. During the COVID-19 pandemic the need of healthcare providers on-site has become imperative due to restrictions for leaving the facilities. Telemedicine visits are difficult for elderly in Assisted Living Facilities (ALF) where WiFi and smart phone technology are limited. While the need for medical care remains at higher demand during the pandemic, it is important to provide accessible and high-quality care to patients in these facilities. Surveys are used to assess if on-site visits are favored by patients and families. Design: We built a survey questionnaire that focused on patient/ family satisfaction of having provider visits on-site. The survey was conducted after an on-site visit and was done or via phone call. If the patient was unable to meaningfully answer the survey, the family member or POA was contacted via phone. The patient satisfaction survey was used to translate their satisfaction in measurable and comparable data to classic office visits. Results: Overall, 100% of responders had a favorable opinion of the on-site physician visits and preferred them to in-person office visits. The survey demonstrates that patients are able to recognize the on-site visits as more convenient and less stressful with the same quality as in-office visits. Some families also pointed out that on-site visits are financially more favorable as there is no need for transportation organization and fees. Conclusion: On-site visits by the physician or APP were very favorable in this survey. This service is bringing comprehensive care to patients directly at their facilities in the community. Patients are benefiting from on-site visits with the same high quality of care while having the convenience of remaining in their own home at the ALF.