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The Value Of Home-Care Personnel

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By VAL J. HALAMANDARIS Special to the Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 27, 2008

The Weather Channel and news headlines tell us daily that the incidence of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and typhoons are increasing around the world. The average temperature on the earth is rising, and the polar ice caps are melting at an alarming rate.

Higher temperatures also cause more insects to hatch, and their presence is being felt and seen. Communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and AIDS are on the rise, and there is growing concern that a virulent form of flu virus being spread by birds will infect humans.

All in all, it is a scary picture. The toll in human life and property and the effect on the world economy is already profound. The question is what can be done about it.

One thing is for certain. We are all on this planet together and prevention will require courage and caring. In preparing for natural disasters in the coming years, we must learn from the lessons of the recent past.

What became evident during Hurricane Katrina is that nurses and other personnel employed by home-care organizations will play a crucial role in future disaster preparedness.

Health problems were exacerbated. Hospitals were filled to capacity. Temporary shelters had to be established. The need to bring health care services to those in these makeshift shelters expanded exponentially. Since hospitals and physicians were overwhelmed, it fell on the shoulders of the 2 million members of the home-care community to respond.

And respond they did. Home-care nurses are trained to provide high-quality care in any environment. They share the common value of service. They put the needs of the sick, hurting, and infirm even before their own safety. They run in the direction of trouble, not away from it.

Katrina also revealed a number of impediments which prevented caregivers from responding. For example, home-care personnel were not designated as first responders, meaning they did not have access to disaster scenes. They did not have priority access to needed gasoline, which would allow them to reach disaster sites. They were not included in state emergency communication networks.

Questions also arose related to permitting the practice of nursing in a different state (other than the original licensing state) during emergencies. It was unclear whether Medicare would pay a nurse who works for an agency in a state other than where the crisis occurred, or provide health care at shelters outside of the licensing state.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, has introduced legislation removing such obstacles and empowering home-care agencies and personnel to respond when and where they are needed most.

Given her amazing track record for success, the odds are excellent that she will succeed, and that all Americans will be the better for it.

Val J. Halamandaris is president of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice.

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