New research published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery detailed how home care after knee replacement aids in the recovery process.
Researchers studied Medicare home healthcare claims for total knee arthroplasty patients in 2012. The study reviewed 5,967 Medicare beneficiaries in total.
Here are the key research insights to know:
1. Patients who received fewer than five home healthcare visits had a more difficult time returning to everyday activities.
2. The optimal number of home care visits by physical therapists was six to nine.
3. "Our study may help care providers prescribe more optimal dosages of at-home physical therapy for these patients who are discharged," said lead study author Jason R. Falvey, PhD. "Low users of at-home physical therapy often had less social support and more complex medical conditions. Patients who don't get the home health care visits they need can end up needing future hospitalization or institutionalization. The risks of not providing the appropriate level home health care may result in higher overall healthcare costs in the long term."
Click here to read the full study.