North Shore Hospital’s home health care program has a lot to offer Cook County. Serving all ages from newborns to centenarians, three registered nurses, two nursing assistants, and some casual staff address a host of medical needs, enabling people to remain in their own homes.
Home Care Coordinator Nathan Kristenson gave an overview of the program to the hospital board on July 21. “Our overall goal is to provide independence in the home,” he said. One way they do that is by teaching people what they can do to manage their own needs.
The home health care program came to the hospital from Cook County Public Health & Human Services in the late 1990s. The staff typically has 30-40 on its caseload, and they travel all over the county.
The nurses provide physical assessments, wound care, IV care, and some physical therapy and teach patients about safety and prevention. They even offer assistance to terminally ill patients who wish to die at home and help their families set up the services they will need, such as clergy and law enforcement. A home health aide is available to help with personal care such as bathing, and the program can help set up services such as Meals on Wheels. They even help with prenatal medical needs when a woman has a complicated pregnancy.
Visits from home health care staff become an important part of meeting patient needs. “That contact with people goes a long way toward enabling someone to stay home,” Kristenson said.
Home health care services are paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and private pay with a sliding fee scale. Medicare reimbursement requires that patients have a changing medical condition. Unfortunately, patients with serious but stable conditions can sometimes fall through the cracks, although insurance and private pay are other payment options when Medicare won’t cover the services.
Patients are referred by doctors, Cook County Public Health & Human Services, concerned neighbors, friends, and family, and patients themselves. A doctor’s order is needed in order to open a case and provide services.
People with chronic medical conditions stay at home longer than they used to, Hospital Administrator Kimber Wraalstad said. “Part of the reason people stay home longer is because of the services that Nathan and the others have to offer.”
In addition to Kristenson, the regular staff members in the home health program are Traci Allen, RN; Cindy Giles, RN; Sally Hennessy, RN; Sue Nelson, aide; and Trista Fergon, aide.
Planning ahead
In response to ongoing deficits from reimbursement shortfalls in the Care Center, the board passed a motion to ask department managers to propose methods of reducing Care Center costs by $300,000- 400,000 a year through such methods as restructuring the physical plant and reducing personnel costs.
Board member Tom Spence also asked Administrator Wraalstad to prepare a prioritized capital improvement plan with a timeline for the entire hospital and care center facility. In a separate conversation, Wraalstad told the News- Herald, “This will allow us to identify needs and make plans looking at the whole campus and not make changes and find out we should have considered another issue that impacts work that was just completed.”
The board voted to send a letter asking the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Minnesota Department of Transportation to reinstate funding for an airport runway extension after the project was taken off a list of planned airport improvement projects to be funded by the FAA.
Having air service is especially useful when a medical emergency requires more room than a helicopter can provide (such as a woman in labor) and when a patient needs services beyond the Duluth area. It would also allow organ donations that are not possible now because of the time involved in other forms of transportation.
Board member sought
With the departure of hospital board member Ann Rosenquist, whose resignation will be effective September 30, a replacement is needed from District 2, the east Grand Marais area in which Fritz Sobanja is a county commissioner.
Rosenquist is leaving the board after moving to Bayfield, Wisconsin.
Those interested in being appointed to replace Rosenquist on the board can contact Hospital Administrator Kimber Wraalstad at (218)387-3040.
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