Ohio’s Home Health Access Gap: Turning Underutilization into Opportunity

Ohio’s Home Health providers play a critical role in access and keeping patients healthy. Statewide data reveals a gap in Home Health access for Ohio residents when compared to key benchmarks.

Overall, Ohio Home Health admissions average 70 per 1,000 Medicare FFS beneficiaries, far below the national average of 81 per 1,000. Access to Home Health is not consistent across the state, with Home Health use rates ranging from a high of 101 admissions per 1,000 in Montogomery County and a low of 33 per 1,000 beneficiaries in Holmes County. 

Access gaps start upstream at the hospital discharge level. About two thirds of Ohio’s larger hospitals discharge Medicare FFS patients to Home Health at a rate below the national average of 19.4%. As a result, about 6,000 Ohio seniors and medically complex patients are missing the opportunity to recover safely at home with skilled nursing, therapy, and coordinated care after their inpatient experience.

For more than half of Ohio Medicare patients that do access Home Health after a hospitalization, their inpatient length of stay is lower than national average and case-mix expected benchmarks.  This suggests efficient hospital discharge planning teams and responsive home health agencies.

Right Care at the Right Time is a Team Sport

For Ohio providers, these findings underscore a significant opportunity to improve care delivery. Efficient patient transitions to the most appropriate care setting enhance hospital throughput, increase access across the healthcare system, and lower the total cost of care. Expanding access to home health services is a key strategy for achieving these goals, while also improving patient outcomes and experience. Success requires strong collaboration across acute, post-acute, and community-based partners.

To learn more about key trends in your community of service, contact Berg Data Solutions at: sarah@bergdatasolutions.com or marc@bergdatasolutions.com