In the Eye of the Storm: A Quantitative and Qualitative Account of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Dutch Home Healthcare

Anne O. E. van den Bulck, Maud H. de Korte, Silke F. Metzelthin, Arianne M. J. Elissen, Irma H. J. Everink, Dirk Ruwaard and Misja C. Mikkers
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Anne O. E. van den Bulck: Department of Health Services Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Maud H. de Korte: Department of Economics, Tilburg University, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands
Silke F. Metzelthin: Department of Health Services Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Arianne M. J. Elissen: Department of Health Services Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Irma H. J. Everink: Department of Health Services Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Dirk Ruwaard: Department of Health Services Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Misja C. Mikkers: Department of Economics, Tilburg University, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected healthcare delivery across the world. However, little is known about COVID-19’s impact on home healthcare (HHC) services. Our study aimed to: (1) describe the changes in volume and intensity of HHC services and the crisis management policies implemented; (2) understand the responses and the experiences of HHC staff and clients. We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed methods study. First, retrospective client data (N = 43,495) from four Dutch HHC organizations was analyzed. Second, four focus group interviews were conducted for the strategic, tactical, operational, and client levels of the four HHC organizations. Our results showed that both the supply of and demand for Dutch HHC decreased considerably, especially during the first wave (March–June 2020). This was due to factors such as fear of infection, anticipation of a high demand for COVID-19-related care from the hospital sector, and lack of personal protective equipment. The top-down management style initially applied made way for a more bottom-up approach in the second wave (July 2020–January 2021). Experiences vary between levels and waves. HHC organizations need more responsive protocols to prevent such radical scaling-back of HHC in future crises, and interventions to help HHC professionals cope with crisis situations.

Keywords: home care services; COVID-19 pandemic; management; nurses; patients; descriptive statistics; focus groups (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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