Home Health Care During an Influenza Pandemic: Issues and Resources

This report serves as a discussion piece for home health care agencies and others to consider; this is not a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) guidance. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), with funding by the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), convened an expert panel meeting on July 12-13, 2007, in Washington, DC. The meeting brought together governmental and nongovernmental experts in the fields of home health care and emergency and disaster planning. During the meeting, the expert panel reviewed the work currently being done in home health care planning and preparedness and explored the key issues and challenges of providing home health care services during an influenza pandemic. This report had its genesis in the rich discussion among these experts. It is hoped that the information and resources here will be of value not only to home health care agencies, but also to State and local pandemic influenza planners.