If You're a Nurse, You Should Consider a Job in Home Care

In April 2021, and for the third time since September, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported job losses for facility-based care centers. In March, hospital-based caregivers saw a reduction of 600 jobs, while the home care setting gained 4200 (read here and here). Overall, healthcare jobs are in demand, particularly for nursing, but the location of care shows a definite trend since the development of a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, facility-based admissions, both long and short-term, have either been avoided based on fear or denied due to safety concerns driving increased demand for home care services.

On-demand and in-home care are especially appealing to chronic care patients and caregivers who would otherwise frequent acute care services. The broad adoption of remote care services during COVID is likely a bellwether for the future of healthcare.

Here are some more trends that predict the future of healthcare and where your nursing skills are in demand.

· Amazon Care, offering telehealth and in-home services, expands throughout the U.S.

· HCA (Hospital Corporation of America) buys Brookdale Home Care; read more here

· Humana becomes the sole owner of Kindred at Home and divests hospice

· Anthem will acquire myNexus, offering home-based nursing services to insurers

· Though still under review by regulators, United Health Care intends to buy Landmark Health; a physician-led home care group

David Wichman, the CEO of United Health Group, summed up the need to move from facility-based care to the home, “80% of factors affecting human health occur outside the traditional healthcare environment.”

If you are thinking of making a change, home care is a good option.