2023 Spring GAPNA Newsletter Volume 42 Number 1

Japanese Home Healthcare Clinics Provide Better Emergency and End-of-Life Care

The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society published a study that suggests home healthcare clinics uphold better end-of-life care than general hospitals. This information comes from researchers out of the University of Tsukuba, Japan.

In 2006, Japan incorporated home care support clinics and hospitals (HCSC) into their healthcare system. HCSCs provide emergency house calls and end-of-life care at home. This was proven unsuccessful, so the Japanese government set a goal to strengthen HCSCs.

This study analyzed over 150,000 elderly patients and indicated an increased likelihood of emergency house calls with a decreased possiblity of hospitalizations with the association of HCSCs. In comparison to general hospitals, HCSCs provided aid for more in-home deaths.

Could this suggest that HCSCs are more adequately trained in home healthcare than general clinics?

Read complete study.

Source:
Sun, Y. et al. (2023). Association between types of home healthcare and emergency house calls, hospitalization, and end-of-life care in Japan. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.18268