Home-centered health care offers a convenient way to effectively provide individualized whole-person care for elderly patients and people with multiple chronic conditions.
Research finds that home-based care patients often suffer from a combination of physical and mental health disorders.
According to Annmarie Storbrauck, a nurse practitioner for Evernorth Home-Based Care, “Many patients who are getting home-based care might not even know that they are dealing with mental health issues, but being in the home and seeing these people gives us a better glimpse into their entire life. Home-based care is about meeting patients where they are, both physically and emotionally. It’s about providing personalized, high-quality care that truly makes a difference.”
“Our patients may not fit into traditional systems, but that’s where we come in,” Storbrauck added. “We adapt, we listen, and we provide the care they need in the comfort of their own home. The outcomes we’ve seen are not just about improved physical health, but also about improved mental health and quality of life. That’s the real value of home-based care.”
Evernorth Home-Based Care physicians, nurse practitioners, and other clinicians who provide care to patients in their homes, assess for any behavioral health needs. When a patient is identified as someone who may benefit from behavioral health services, a referral is then placed and outreach by the behavioral health team will occur. The patient is then matched with a behavioral health provider to receive psychotherapy or medication management via a virtual platform.
In a recent interview with Storbrauck, we gained valuable insights into the tangible benefits between the integration of home-based care and behavioral health care. Here are a few patient stories she shared that illustrate the impact.
Managing complex health needs
One Evernorth Home-Based Care patient living with schizoaffective disorder experienced a fall at home resulting in hospitalization. Because of the whole-person approach to care through Evernorth Home-Based Care, the team had insights into the medications the patient was taking and could ensure what she was prescribed was safe to take with her existing medications. During the hospital stay, her psychiatric medications were reduced due to potential complications.
The Home-Based Care team’s integrated approach was crucial here. In addition, the team prepared for the patient’s discharge by ensuring an inpatient psychiatrist reviewed all the medications the patient had been prescribed while in the hospital. This careful planning helped the patient transition back home more smoothly and avoid an additional hospitalization. This shows how effective the integrated care model can be for managing complex health needs.
Dealing with end-stage kidney disease
Another Evernorth Home-Based Care patient was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease – and she was struggling with her new diagnosis. The Evernorth Home-Based Care team connected her to mental health therapy to help her cope.
After the patient decided to move forward with in-hospital dialysis, she was able to continue her mental health therapy sessions while in the hospital and later in a skilled nursing facility. “A lot of times home-based care patients receive a diagnosis that isn’t what they were hoping to hear,” Storbrauck said. “Maintaining continuity of care during a critical period like this is essential.”
The patient expressed gratitude for the support received during this challenging time. “I don't know what I would have done without your support through this whole process,” she said. Her emotional testament highlights the significant benefit of an integrated care model in supporting patients during their most challenging times.
These stories illustrate the profound impact of home-based care on patients' lives. By tailoring care to the patients' needs and circumstances, home-based care providers can deliver personalized, high-quality care that truly makes a difference.
This article was created with the assistance of AI tools. It was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by Evernorth’s editorial team and subject matter experts.
