185749 Long-Term Care Services for Rural Veterans: An Assessment of Average Daily Census in Non-Institutionalized Settings for Veterans Residing in Rural Areas

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Richard Hartman, PhD , Office of the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Policy and Planning, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
Kara Hawthorne, MSW , Office of Rural Health, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
Jaspal Ahluwalia, MD, MPH , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Shivaani Prakash , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Ryung Suh, MD MPH MPP MBA , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
The VA's philosophy in providing long-term care services is to offer patient centered care in the least restrictive setting possible and, whenever possible, in home and community-based rather than institutional settings. Three innovative long-term care initiatives include the Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC), Care Coordination Home Telehealth (CCHT), and the Medical Foster Home Program. As part of its efforts to improve the access and quality of care for rural veterans, as mandated by Public Law 109-461, the VA's Office of Rural Health conducted a baseline assessment of the average daily census in non-institutionalized settings for veterans residing in rural areas for these programs. This session reviews the results of this assessment and provides additional information about these innovative long-term care programs, as well as explores the implications of the findings on future long-term care strategies for rural veterans.

Learning Objectives:
Describe innovative programs utilized by the VA to provide long-term care services in non-institutionalized settings for rural veterans Outline findings from a baseline assessment of the utilization of these programs by rural veterans Explore implications of findings on future long-term care strategies for rural veterans

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I reviewed and participated in planning and research activities, to include a literature review, structured interviews, internal VA review, and environmental scan for the VA Office of Rural Health, as well as contributed to the Office of Rural Health strategic plan.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.