Home Health Care (HHC) Managers Perceptions About Challenges and Obstacles that Hinder HHC Services in Jordan

Abstract

Home care aims at supporting people with various degrees of dependency to remain at home rather than use residential, long-term, or institutional-based nursing care. Demographic, epidemiological, social, and cultural trends in Jordan as in other countries are changing the traditional patterns of care with growing emphasis on home care. The purpose of this study is to highlight the most common challenges related to home health care (HHC) services in Jordan as perceived by the managers of HHC agencies. Methods: a descriptive qualitative design that depends on focus group discussions has been used to collect data from a sample of 18 managers who met the selection criteria and who are willing to participate, the study found that, the main challenges of HHC services as perceived by managers were: shortage of female staff, lack of governance and regulation, poor management, unethical practices, lack of referral systems, and low accessibility of the poor and less privileged as HHC services are not included in health insurance schemes, it concludes also that the home health care industry in Jordan is facing many challenges and problems that may have negative effects on the effectiveness, efficiency, equity and quality of services and should be addressed by health policy makers.

Challenges and Barriers Faced by Home Care Centers: An Integrative Review

“…They must be aware of numerous training strategies, should continuously develop them, and recognize available social resources (52,54,55). Unfortunately, this infrastructure is missing and due to a shortage of nurses, economic problems, and the introduction of cheap manpower, sometimes even people other than nurses are employed to provide home care services (4,6,9,12,16,18,21). The presence of these ineligible individuals and their improper care will lead to people's mistrust of nursing and care (23,37).…”

“…In order to resolve this problem, it is necessary to develop and implement strategic and fundamental plans to maintain security and create motivation. This requires flexible programming, financial and spiritual incentives, and continuous training programs (12). Visitor nurses are always exposed to violence and insecurity, for example when they have to go to certain insecure neighborhoods in order to visit their patients (21,22,41,59).…”

Staff Perceptions of Obstacles to Quality Management Systems in Low- and High- Performing Hospitals in Jordan

“…These factors are mainly related to leadership and management of human and materials resources which constitute critical elements to quality systems, and would significantly support the realization of optimum results in hospitals if they were free from obstacles (Ajlouni, Dawani, & Diab, 2015;Wanjau, Muiruri, & Ayodo, 2012;Dixon-Woods, McNicol, & Martin, 2012). The findings also show that staff of the participating hospitals recognizes these obstacles as serious enough to hinder their capacities to provide high quality service.…”

“…Studies from many countries as reported by Ajlouni, Dawani and Diab (2015), Wanjau, Muiruri, and Ayodo (2012), Dixon-Woods, McNicol, and Martin (2012), and Bhat and Rajashekhar (2009) have shown varied types of obstacles to QMS implementation in healthcare organizations. This section of the review will look at the obstacles to a QMS as uncovered by these studies.…”

“…This section of the review will look at the obstacles to a QMS as uncovered by these studies. Ajlouni et al (2015) in a recent study about challenges that hinder home health care (HHC) services in Jordan reported that shortage of qualified staff, lack of governance and regulation, poor management, unethical practices and lack of referral systems were the main obstacles for implementing QMS by (HHC) agencies. The study indicated that these obstacles had negative effects on the effectiveness, efficiency, equity and quality of services and should be addressed by health policy makers.…”