10 Questions to Ask when choosing a Home Health Provider

Yesterday we provided you with 10 questions to consider when hiring a home care provider for your aging family member. Today, we wanted to address the specific questions you should ask when looking for home health. What is the difference between home care and home health?

Home care is considered non-medical assistance like meal preparation, bathing and driving. Home health is medical care provided in the home usually following surgery, injury or the diagnosis of an ailment. As these situations can come on rather suddenly, it is best to be educated on the topic long before you ever require help. Being familiar with home health can empower you to make the best decisions for your family when everyone else is too overwhelmed to research the options. Here are some questions to ask of potential agencies:

1. Does the agency guarantee a visit by a licensed healthcare professional within 24 hours of receiving a referral?

2. Does the agency assign supervisors to oversee the quality of care provided to each patient?

3. Is the agency Medicare certified?

4. Does the agency offer specialized behavioral health services?

5. Does the agency offer other disciplines of home health (Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Medical Social Work, Certified Home Health Aides)?

6. Does the agency offer any specialized programs that address the particular disease state or the surgical procedure your loved one has just undergone or is preparing for?

7. Does the agency have a healthcare professional on-duty 24 hours per day, 7 days a week to answer any questions?

8. Does the agency have procedures in place in case of emergencies?

9. Does the agency care for patients that require complicated and complex treatment protocols?

10. Is the agency led by experienced healthcare professionals?

Being an educated patient and consumer can help decrease fraud and increase the overall quality of care your loved one receives. Asking these ten key questions is a great first step in finding the right fit for your family.

About Mission:

Mission is a clinically owned and operated organization whose services include Mission Home Health, Mission Hospice, and Mission Home Care.  By providing these three service lines, Mission Healthcare strives to have a positive impact on the lives of patients, their families, and their healthcare partners no matter what their needs may be. Mission utilizes all available resources to provide the highest level of care possible to their patients, all while in the optimal healing environment, the home.