During Phase 2, the HAP Project successfully piloted a new model of home-based care (HBC) in nine healthcare centres in the Fier and Dibër regions. This model aims to reshape HBC by enabling planned healthcare services provided by nurses in consultation with family doctors. The targeted population includes the elderly and patients with high temporary or permanent dependency levels suffering from advanced-stage chronic diseases. In addition to healthcare services, nurses also identify cases that overlap with social services within patient families, and when necessary, they inform the relevant municipal-level service.
Based on the results of this intervention, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MoHSP) decided to expand these services to 49 other Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) located in six Local Units of Healthcare (LUHCs): Shkodra, Tirana, Durrës, Elbasan, Korça, and Berat.
In this context, HAP continues to collaborate closely with the Operator and LUHCs for the implementation of home-based healthcare, providing support for the following activities:
– Upscaling the approved and tested models of home-based healthcare to at least six regions in Albania.
– Identifying patients who meet the criteria for receiving home-based healthcare services
– Providing technical support to enhance the clinical skills of the nurses providing these services
– Making the training curriculum and other technical documents available in order to standardize and document the implementation of these services
– Establishing Peer Groups with a focus on home-based healthcare
– Monitoring the implementation of home-based healthcare
– Supplying necessary medical and paramedical equipment during the provision of home-based care services
– Training new professionals who will be involved in the implementation of integrated health and social care, such as social workers and psychologists
– Promoting health promotion activities conducted by family doctors and nurses for patients who are unable to leave their homes
– (in collaboration with civil society organizations) Periodic assessment of home-based care, patient satisfaction, and quality of life to document and validate the experiences gained during implementation.