MSGID: 1:317/3 63f59a77   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Paying family members for at-home medical care of their children found   
   to be a viable answer to healthcare worker shortage    
      
     Date:   
         February 21, 2023   
     Source:   
         Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago   
     Summary:   
         A recent study found that a Medicaid program in Colorado can help   
         address the shortage of home healthcare workers for children with   
         complex medical needs by offering family members certified nursing   
         assistant (CNA) training and paying them for at-home medical care   
         their child requires.   
      
         Results show that children who received family-CNA care were   
         not more likely to be hospitalized than children cared for by a   
         non-family CNA.   
      
         Children with family-CNA caregivers also experienced greater care   
         continuity since turnover was not an issue as it tends to be with   
         traditional home healthcare workers.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   A recent study found that a Medicaid program in Colorado can help address   
   the shortage of home healthcare workers for children with complex   
   medical needs by offering family members certified nursing assistant   
   (CNA) training and paying them for at-home medical care their child   
   requires. Results show that children who received family-CNA care   
   were not more likely to be hospitalized than children cared for by a   
   non-family CNA. Children with family-CNA caregivers also experienced   
   greater care continuity since turnover was not an issue as it tends to   
   be with traditional home healthcare workers. Findings were published in   
   the Journal of Pediatrics.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   There is a general shortage of healthcare workers nationally across   
   the board, which worsened with the COVID pandemic. The shortage of home   
   healthcare workers has been an even longer standing concern and often   
   drives families to leave a job or reduce work hours to care for their   
   child with complex medical needs. In addition to the financial burden   
   on families, the lack of professional home healthcare services can lead   
   to unnecessarily prolonged hospitalizations and institutionalization.   
      
   Some states allow non-parent family members, such as grandparents, to   
   be paid to provide care. But most states do not allow parent guardians   
   to be paid to provide medical care to their children, except for some   
   select programs that make exceptions for parents who are registered   
   nurses (RNs) or licensed practical nurses (LPNs). Illinois Medicaid has   
   committed to finding alternative ways for parents to be paid caregivers   
   and is exploring ways for that to be implemented.   
      
   "Our study provides evidence that paid family caregiving as a concept   
   is feasible and can be successfully applied to meet the home care needs   
   of children with medical complexity," said lead author Carolyn Foster,   
   MD, MS, from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and   
   Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg   
   School of Medicine.   
      
   "States should consider adopting policies that promote avenues to allow   
   for parents to obtain CNA or other relevant credentials and to be paid   
   for their child's at-home medical care. Such policies would enable state   
   programs to meet their legal obligation to provide medical services   
   for enrolled children while also reducing family financial strain and   
   providing care continuity for these children."  Dr. Foster and colleagues   
   stress that according to previous research, care continuity results in   
   higher quality care. Broader literature also demonstrates cost savings   
   to the health system with reduced employee turnover. The lack of costs   
   for re-training and onboarding employees may be a source of savings in   
   family CNA programs.   
      
   The study compared the characteristics and healthcare utilization of   
   children with medical complexity who received paid CNA care by a family   
   member and by a traditional non-family CNA from 2017 to 2019, as part   
   of the Medicaid program in Colorado. Researchers analyzed de-identified   
   billing claims data for 861 children, including information such as   
   hospitalization frequency and hospital lengths of stay.   
      
   "Colorado's family-centered model addresses the significant shortage of   
   healthcare workforce while providing additional income to parents who   
   are compelled to leave work to care for their children. This program   
   may not be a fit for all situations but is a meaningful option for many   
   children going without enough services," said Dr. Foster.   
      
   Research at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is   
   conducted through Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute. The Manne   
   Research Institute is focused on improving child health, transforming   
   pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless   
   pursuit of knowledge.   
      
   Lurie Children's is ranked as one of the nation's top children's hospitals   
   by U.S. News & World Report.It is the pediatric training ground for   
   Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.   
      
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   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   Ann_&_Robert_H._Lurie_Children's_Hospital_of_Chicago.   
      
   Note: Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Carolyn Foster, Soyang Kwon, Christy Blakely, Kristin Carter,   
      Sarah A.   
      
         Sobotka, Denise M. Goodman, Rishi Agrawal, Mark Brittan. Paying   
         Family Medical Caregivers for Children's Home Healthcare in   
         Colorado: A Working Medicaid Model. The Journal of Pediatrics,   
         2023; DOI: 10.1016/ j.jpeds.2022.12.043   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230221180107.htm   
      
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