Perry County Memorial expands home health services, improves access

Perry County Memorial Hospital on November 10 released detailed information about its Home Health program, outlining the range of services available to patients who need medical care but prefer or require treatment at home. The hospital framed the program as a way to provide accessible, personal, and convenient care that supports recovery, chronic disease management, and independence.

Home Health at Perry County Memorial allows patients to receive skilled nursing care, therapy services, and wound and medication management without traveling to a hospital or clinic. Services include skilled nursing care that covers monitoring of vital signs and medication administration, physical, occupational and speech therapy to help regain strength and mobility, specialized wound care to promote healing and prevent complications, medication management to ensure safe use of prescriptions, chronic disease support for conditions such as diabetes heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and after surgery care and rehabilitation to smooth the transition from hospital to home. The hospital said its team works closely with primary care providers to coordinate safe and effective care.

For local residents, the practical benefits could be significant. Home based skilled care can shorten recovery times, reduce the likelihood of readmission to hospitals, and offer continuity of care for people managing long term conditions. In a county where travel to regional medical centers can be difficult for people without reliable transportation, or for those with limited mobility, bringing services into the home can lower barriers to care and support aging in place.

There are broader public health and policy implications as well. Increased use of home based healthcare can relieve pressure on emergency departments and inpatient units, and can be a cost effective alternative when clinical needs can be met safely at home. At the same time, access depends on workforce capacity and the rules that govern reimbursement through Medicare Medicaid and private insurers. Those structural factors determine how widely services can be scaled and which residents are able to receive care at home.

The hospital positioned the Home Health program as part of a patient centered approach that stretches beyond treating acute illness to supporting people throughout recovery and chronic disease management. Residents who want more information or who need to make a referral can contact the Home Health department at 812 547 0230.