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Excerpt
Most people identify the millennium bug as a computer-related problem. Because our computers are still running we could safely assume that we have survived a major crisis. Yet, perhaps the bug is still alive and well. I believe it resides in the lawmakers and healthcare providers that see 2000 and beyond as a replica of 1999 and the past.
In order to go forward, we must reflect on the past.
Since the days of service only to the poor and diseased we have advanced to modern clinical practice that optimizes recovery and resolution. But, as we reflect on where we have been it is imperative that we set a course on where we want to go. Cutting home care services when our aging population is the fastest growing segment of our population is a giant step backwards. As we envision a better healthcare system we must chart a course that optimizes health, healing, and dying in the best place—the home.
I see the turn of the millennium as both an opportunity and a challenge. As home care providers we need to see what the future should be and take action to ensure its fruition.
If it is acknowledged as important, home care could take on these forms over the next decade:
These goals are both realistic and obtainable but require action. Home care of the millennium and beyond is in our hands today. These and other dreams can become a reality by continuing with our research and legislative efforts. Although much has been accomplished in the last 2 years, our work has just begun.
