This book offers convenient access to information about the benefits, drawbacks and challenges of importing high-technology medical care into the home care programs. It is both a descriptive report of research-based observations, and an interpretive analysis of major issues and policies in the delivery of technology-enhanced care. The authors bring to the forefront evidence-based current home care practices, such as ventilator therapy and artificial nutrition infusion pumps, and develop them through complete discussions of legal, ethical and administrative issues they entail. Agency administrators as well as in-home direct service providers like nurses and social workers, will find essential information on a critical home care delivery issue presented with clarity and accessibility.

OLD COPY: This volume offers the reader convenient access to much needed information about the unique benefits, drawbacks and challenges of importing high-technology into the homes of the elderly and disabled. It is a unique combination of both a descriptive report of research-based observations from the frontlines of home health agency operations and interpretive analyses of major issues, policies, and practices informing the delivery of high tech-home health services. Content will be relevant to those agency planners and administrators, managers, and supervisors who are considering engaging in or have recently implemented a high-tech service program in their organization as well as in-home direct service providers like nurses and social workers.

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Acknowledgments
Part I - Setting the Scene

1. Introduction
2. The Evolution of In-Home Technologies
   Part II - Observations From the Field: National and Local Perspectives
   
3. Profiling the Providers and Consumers of High-Tech Home Health Care
4. The Experience of Providing High-Tech Home Care
5. The Experience of Receiving High-Tech Home Care
6. The Rights of Patients
7. The Impact of High-Technology on the Agency

Part III - Special Practice Issues and Applications

8. Legal Aspects of High-Tech Home Health Care, by Raymond L. Albert
9. Ethical Issues in High-Tech Home Health Care
10. The Challenge of Providing High-Tech Care: Reimbursement Issues
11. Taking the Plunge into High-Tech Care: Guidelines for Providers
12. Guidelines for Serving Consumers
13. Conclusions and Recommendations: Gazing Into the Future of High-Tech Care