Kylie Ayers, RN, said her job with Meritus Home Health fills a gap for patients.
“I describe it as kind of a transitional tool between being in the hospital and being home independently,” she said.
November is National Care at Home Month, and Meritus Home Health provides in-home medical care to help patients recover from injury, surgery, serious illness, or disability, allowing them to maintain their independence and privacy.
To qualify, a patient must be homebound and require a skilled reason for the in-home care. A referral is required, though it can come from any healthcare provider, such as a primary care provider or a specialist.
The Meritus team also includes physical and occupational therapists.
“Physical therapy helps the patient improve their mobility, strength, balance and safety so that they can remain living in their home and prevent falls and hospitalizations,” said physical therapist Jennifer Pryor.
Occupational therapist Natalie Mackrell said her job focuses on the everyday tasks.
“OT is there to help the patient do all the things they want and need to do in their daily routine safely and as independently as possible,” she said.
The team also includes medical social workers to help patients with the needed community resources so they can stay home.
“I’m the middleman between the patient and any resource Washington County has to offer,” said Katelyn Phillips. “Depending on the patient’s specific need, I assess for community resources to apply to for the patient and get any help that the patient can get”.
But the team has an arguably more important role, said Casie Przywarty, RN.
“Because it’s difficult for our patients to get out of their homes for an appointment, we’re the eyes and ears for the physicians,” she said. “We communicate back to them what’s going on with the patient in the home.”
The goal of Meritus Home Health treatment is to get the patient back to being independent and able to leave their homes, Przywarty said.
“We want them to be able to resume their usual activities and lifestyle,” she said.
The Home Health providers see between three and five patients a day, with visits lasting from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the patient’s needs, Ayers said.
“We give them a head-to-toe assessment in addition to addressing any particular needs,” she said. “And we provide education to them or their families about the conditions affecting them.”
Nurses also perform tasks including wound care, clearing drains on post-surgical patients, and managing IVs and catheters, as well as well as providing education and management tools for their chronic issues such as COPD or diabetes.
“We’re taking care of their needs,” Przywarty said. “We’re calling their doctors with them if they need that, coordinating wheelchairs and power chairs, really just coordinating with everybody out in the healthcare community to get them what they need.”
Ayers said she enjoys the job.
“It’s kind of cool to see the other side of it from working in the hospital,” Ayers said. “It’s not as crazy or exciting as the hospital, but it’s still very rewarding. It’s nice to go into an environment where the patient is most comfortable.” To learn more about Meritus Home Health, visit www.meritushealth.com/HomeHealth, or call 301-766-7800.
