Question

We learned that inpatient stays are declining while outpatient care is steadily increasing. We are seeing this same trend with long-term care.   Seniors are increasingly staying in their homes and communities longer. Why do you think this is? What are some of the key influences that have impacted this shift?

Answer 1

The declain in in-patient stays with rising out-patient care could be attributed to the following factors-

• Population and communities now are more self aware about the kind of infection they could acquire from hospitals and hence, want to reduce the chance of getting a nosocomial infection.
• Work committments. People are more career oriented and ambitious now, with eveyone wanting to run and acquire the first place in the corporate rat race, giving them less or no time at all to devote to health and healthcare.
• Rise in non communicable disorders as compared to infectious disease which take a longer time to recover from and are mostly lifestyle related where the role of the individual in improving his/her health plays a more major role than the help of a doctor. This was not the case a few years back when infectious and communicable diseases required in patient stays to combate the spread.
• Rise in healthcare cost. Out of pocket expenditure towards healthcare could also mean the patient cannot afford an in patient stay. Out patient visit would only require the patients to pay for the one particular physician that he/she visits along with tests, if one has performed, while patients in in-patient wards would have to pay for a group of doctors and nurses looking after them, which substantially increases the cost of treatment.
• In-patient services restricts the patient to the rules and regulations of the hospital.
• In convenience to the patient especially if he/ she has to look after a child or elderly.

This shift in trend can also be seen in long term care facilities, the reason to which could be the rise in healthcare cost and insurance not covering long term care.

We often look at out most possible and near future, that is, we look at the mortgages we need to pay off, student loans and regular healthcare insurance but unfortunately, long term care, which most people require as they age, isn't something we foresee. and by the time we do, we almost become ineligiable for these insurnaces.