Pediatric Home Health: The Need for Physician Education

Home health represents a spectrum of exciting practice possibilities for the pediatrician. Care in the home can be provided for acute, intermediate, or long-term health conditions. An acute infection can be treated at home with physician or nurse visits; a relapse of leukemia or chronic infection (osteomyelitis) can be managed at home with intermittent drug therapy. Home care can involve high technology (mechanical ventilators), low technology (assistive mobility aids), or no technology. Home care can be provided only by family members or with supplemental support from neighbors, friends, personal attendants, or professionals on an intermittent or continuous care basis. For the physician, home care may involve discharge planning, postdischarge care oversight (telephone, documentation), or just "an old-fashioned house call."