Final answer:
Telephone care connects patients at home with healthcare providers, often improving patient satisfaction and reducing costs, while also supporting the psychosocial needs of patients and their families.
Step-by-step explanation:
Telephone care is an application within the field of health that establishes a link between a patient at home and healthcare providers. This is essential for delivering services such as in-home palliative care, which has been shown to increase patient satisfaction while lowering healthcare costs, according to studies like the one by Brumley et al. (2007). With the benefits of hospice care well documented, patients report higher satisfaction due in part to the ability to remain in their homes and a reduced dependency on strangers for care. Furthermore, patients under hospice care tend to have longer lifespans compared to non-hospice patients. Family members also benefit significantly from reduced care burden, stronger family support, improved coping mechanisms, and emotional support. These advantages highlight how telephone care can be instrumental in addressing both the psychosocial needs and medical needs of patients and their families.