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Show Skyrocketing Hospital Costs but perhaps its greatest benefit is that it provides them with peace of mind Y1 - V - 'Y-.- . ' y- - 0-- husband. From home, however, even though she was in traction, Mrs. Rohrbach was more easily able to direct her nephew and daughter in keeping the business going smoothly. Doctors are among the chief rooters for the concept A recent survey of physicians revealed that 95 percent of them thought the program did what was necessary for the patients. Often, they agreed, Home Care actually speeds recovery. With visiting nurses and other paramedical associates in the picture, doctors can make fewer calls on patients. This may turn out to be one answer to the doctor shortage. Largely responsible for making g Rochester's program click is an unusually dedicated staff headed by Mrs. Dorothy Watts White, a former nurse supervisor and assistant hospital administrator. The medical director, Dr. Roger J. Bou-lais assistant professor of medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. Besides two staff social workers, HCA can call upon nurses from the County Public Health Service and more than 100 aides from the Visiting Nurse Service, an independent agency supported by the Community Chest These aides handle personal care of the patient including bed baths, cooking, and laundry. Looking ohood, Mrs. White foresees more direct admissions of patients to HCA, to avert hospitalization entirely. This has already been done with cancer patients and certain fracture cases. Some doctors are even considering the possibility of sending obstetrical patients home on the second day after birth, under the care of a special Home Care team. By 1970, at the rate we're going, Surgeon Genera! William H. Stewart estimates hospital costs may rise to an astronomical $85 a day. Home Care may meet that challenge! More important than hospital costs is the peace of mind of the helplessly ill who yearn for the comforting grace of their families. In the words of one grateful mother reunited with her family, "God will bless you for all this." trail-blazin- y, -- "Y" 4' r: t - s There are many advantages to Home Care: low cost, excellent medical treatment pital for revision of her cast Three months on Home Care cost her nothing, her only medical bills being her doctor's fees. Since its inception five years ago, Rochester's Home Care program has saved patients well over l million in hospital bills. How? The average cost in a local hospital is S5 a day and can go up to 65 or more. On Home Care, the average now is only $11.90 a day! Here's the breakdown of costs (not including doctors' fees) in a fairly typical case last year, that of a leg amputation, covering 65 days of Home Care: 978.75 Nursing Care (15 visits) 36.00 Physical therapy (6 visits) Visiting health aide(10 visits) 77.00 Ambulance (2 trips) 29.00 Laboratory (12 visits) Oxygen 93.00 38.90 47.00 41.50 28.15 5.30 Equipment rental Equipment delivery (5 trips) Medical supplies Drugs Service charge to HCA for supervision, social casework, etc. (3 a day) 165.00 Total $639.60 If this patient had spent the 55 in cost a the days general hospital, would have soared to $3,125, more than four times as much as under Home Care. Participating in the spirit of the program, Rochester druggists, ambulance companies, and suppliers have voluntarily reduced their prices to people under HCA. A Blue Cross member is entitled to - I Yrf but mainly the care of a loving family. 200 visits each calendar year from any source (except physicians), and few patients use more. After 100 visits, the patient pays half th ost for an aide or henemaker. For the elderly, Medicare "A" covers up to the first 100 visits a year, except for drugs, transportation, and meals. After that, the patient can move tt Medicare "B," which provides for 80 percent of similar services. Cash savings in health maintenance is but one of many advantages of organized Home Care. Besides keeping families together. Home Care, has its practical side effects. e Consider, for instance, Mrs. widow a Rohrbach, who fell and fractured a hip. From a hospital bed she couldn't continue to run the family business left by her Hilde-gard- Family Weekly, April T, lit S |