While this is a slow start, I think it’s an indicator of a much bigger shift, especially in hospital billing services. Yes, uptake has been slow largely because of clinician reluctance (reasonable, since they want to ensure they’re providing high levels of care) and spotty reimbursement, but I believe things will begin to turn soon. This means revenue cycle leaders will increasingly need to consider hospital-at-home lines of service in their decision-making. And as reimbursement shifts, I can see it becoming a core revenue driver and significant influence on hospital billing services once reimbursement and quality control practices catch up to patient needs and preferences.
Revenue cycle leaders should prepare for a future where the concept evolves from a pandemic trend, and into one that will require permanent changes to hospital billing services and revenue cycle practices. This is for a few reasons. First, simply that people increasingly know it’s now possible. On top of this, aging Baby Boomers will require more care and hospital-at-home options address many challenges of a growing elderly population. But the most powerful driver comes in the form of government support.
