Blog: Conversations for Good Featuring Bill Dombi

2020 brought forth its share of challenges and caused many to re-evaluate how they receive healthcare. While the pandemic has revealed disparities in access to care, the work of home healthcare leaders, has shown the vital importance of access to quality care for all and how others may demonstrate business as a force for good.

In my video series Conversations for Good, I was joined by Bill Dombi, president of National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC), to discuss how his organization advocates for the more than 2 million nurses, therapists, aides and other caregivers employed by organizations to provide in-home services to some 12 million Americans each year. NAHC is a nonprofit organization representing 33,000 home care and hospice organizations in the U.S. Bill’s expertise is critical to supporting legal, legislative and regulatory advocacy on behalf of patients and providers of home health and hospice care.

The Future of Healthcare is in the Home

One of Bill’s biggest focuses is keeping people out of institutional care settings through telehealth, which is a valuable tool healthcare professionals can use to successfully carry out their duties in the home. Video cameras allow healthcare professionals to help those who need it most by examining patients and even providing physical therapy. Bill believes the next step in home healthcare is robotics in the distant future and that investing in telehealth is crucial.

Disparities in Healthcare

Healthcare in the home is more important than ever, and COVID-19 has exposed disparities in the industry. Although the pandemic has been devastating for millions, it has increased awareness about healthcare in the home. All parts of home healthcare embraced the opportunity with passion to help people, and the pandemic has helped the industry to shine by demonstrating its breadth, depth and value. Home care is high touch, high technology and offers pre-acute services and care. It is a very important alternative to in-patient hospital care, which exemplifies creativity, persistence and resilience.

COVID-19 has caused us to think outside of the box and demonstrate how we can use business as a force for good. I truly believe the future of healthcare is in the home, and the pandemic has helped us move one step closer to making the future a reality.