Frontloading and intensity of skilled home health visits: a state of the science

Home Health Care Serv Q. 2014;33(3):159-75. doi: 10.1080/01621424.2014.931768.

Abstract

Frontloading of skilled nursing visits is one way home health providers have attempted to reduce hospital readmissions among skilled home health patients. Upon review of the frontloading evidence, visit intensity emerged as being closely related. This state of the science presents a critique and synthesis of the published empirical evidence related to frontloading and visit intensity. OVID/Medline, PubMed, and Scopus were searched. Seven studies were eligible for inclusion. Further research is required to define frontloading and visit intensity, identify patients most likely to benefit, and to provide a better understanding of how home health agencies can best implement these strategies.

Keywords: frontloading; rehospitalization; skilled home health; visit intensity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Home Care Agencies / economics
  • Home Care Agencies / trends
  • Home Health Nursing / economics
  • Home Health Nursing / methods*
  • House Calls / economics
  • House Calls / trends
  • Humans
  • Patient Readmission* / economics
  • Patient Readmission* / statistics & numerical data