Everyone knows about healthcare and all the argumentation and debate it brings. But what exactly is home healthcare? Home healthcare is defined as a service that can be given in your home for either an illness or and injury.  Whether you need injections, various medical tests, therapy, or just for a simple check-up, home healthcare is changing the way Americans view healthcare.  This new health service is taking over this country at a rapid pace, as home healthcare is typically cheaper than the care you would get at a hospital. 

Some more examples of some services that home health care providers perform are wound care, nutritional therapy, and keeping track of progress.

The goal of home health care is to treat an illness or injury. Home health care helps you get better, regain your independence, and become as self-sufficient as possible. 

There are many home healthcare agencies around the United States, and this number is only expected to grow.  At the end of 2014, there were well over twelve thousand home healthcare agencies.  These agencies combined to help more than five million Americans stay healthy from the comforts of their homes.

The Future of Home Healthcare:

As technology gets faster and more expensive, so will the Home Healthcare industry. Technology obviously play a huge role in the home health care agency. Patients are monitored using technology and newer technologies will provide more effective treatment in the future.  There are several problems which may quite possible arise in the near future. Some problems with home health care are increasing demand.  By 2020, at least 35 million people in the United States over 65 are expected to be living in their homes and will most likely need some sort of home health care.  Finding qualified staff for the agencies could be a problem in upcoming years as the demand is increased.  Many agencies aren’t regulated well and give off a false view of their programs.  Many people expect to find certified nurses who have gone through extensive training, but many of these home health care agencies hire everyday people who only have to go through a non-standardized training program.  Many people are pushing government regulation or some sort of regulation for all home health care agencies.  Politics could also be an issue.  With democrats and republicans constantly fighting over health care, payment could become a big issue.  

Although Home Healthcare will have its fair share of problems, there are many reasons why the industry has a lot to look forward to.

• Home Healthcare is a leading job producer in the United States and the industry is only expected to grow
• The aging population continues to live longer and longer which leads to them needing an increasing amount of care. This leads to more business
• Rising healthcare costs drives the market
• With increased efficiency due to newer technology, nurses and other agents in the business can monitor patients while away and in less time
• With increased demand, more people will need to be hired which will help grow the economy