You have made the decision that home health care is appropriate for you or your loved one. Now, how do you choose which home health care provider is right for you?
In this article, we discuss a number of factors you should take into consideration before choosing a homecare provider. Before we start, you already know that PHCS is a home care provider. This article is intended to be as unbiased and objective as possible. You should also know that some of the information in this article is specific to our Metro Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin market, but most can be applied to the national market.
Factors to Take into Consideration:
- How long has the home health agency been serving the Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin community?
- You want to select a home health provider with a proven successful track record.
- Is the Home Health Agency licensed by the State of Wisconsin?
- This is very important because the State of Wisconsin requires Home Health Agencies to successfully complete a very rigorous and meticulous licensing process. Furthermore, licensed agencies are regularly surveyed by the State to ensure they are in compliance with Licensure Requirements.
- Is the Home Health Provider accredited?
- In the State of Wisconsin, accreditation by a national accrediting body is not necessary because the State’s Licensing Regulations are more demanding than any of the national accrediting bodies’ standards. Yet, if your state doesn’t have a licensing program, you should take this into account while choosing a provider.
- Is the Home Health Agency Medicare and Medicaid or CMS approved?
- In addition to the State of Wisconsin Regulations, there are Federal Regulations that a Home Health Provider must meet in order to be approved to provide care to Medicare and Medicaid clients.
- If you aren’t privately paying for your services, make sure the Home Healthcare Agency accepts your insurance.
- Now-a-days, with the ever changing health insurance industry, Home Health Agencies don’t accept all insurance plans. Unfortunately, it is impossible for any Home Health Provider to provide services for free. It is very important that your insurance is accepted by the Agency. For more information about who pays for Home Health Care please see WHAT IS HOME CARE?
- If you are being or have been discharged from the hospital, there are more options than the hospital’s affiliated home health agency.
- If you need home health services, most hospitals will automatically refer you to their in-house home health provider. A lot of times, patients won’t even realize that there are other options. You don’t have to go with the hospital’s home health provider just because you were referred to them by the hospital. In Milwaukee the two major hospitals’ affiliated home health providers are Aurora’s Visiting Nurses Association and Froedtert & Columbia-St. Marys’ Horizon Home Care.
- Make sure you are receiving services from a Home Health Agency, not a Personal Care Agency.
- In recent years in Wisconsin, in order to for the government to more easily facilitate its own programs, they have created a provider called a “Personal Care Agency.” A lot of these agencies promote themselves as home health agencies, but they are not. They are only licensed to provide “personal care” services. (For more information on what “personal care” services are, please visit OUR SERVICES.
- Are the Agency’s employees screened?
- Screening should include at a minimum a Criminal Background check, a Wisconsin Caregiver Background Check, and a communicable disease screening. There are certain criminal offenses that disqualify individuals from being allowed to work as a Home Health Caregiver in Wisconsin. You are inviting strangers into your house, and it is very important that the Agency you work with has done their due diligence to ensure you are safe and their caregivers are trustworthy.
- Does the Agency, with the assistance of your Physician, develop a Plan of Care for your specific needs? Are you given a copy of the Plan of Care? Also, is the Plan of Care regularly monitored and updated in accordance with your changing needs?
- In order for your health goals to be met, it is important for the Home Health Provider to create a Plan of Care with the help of your Physician. It is important that the Plan of Care is monitored, each Home Health Visit at your home is documented, and the Agency makes adjustments to the Plan of Care as needed.
- Are you able to contact the Home Health Agency outside of normal office hours?
- Things happen, and you need to be able to contact your Agency. It is important that you can contact a live employee 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
- Does the Home Health Provider offer continuing education for its Caregivers?
- In order for Caregivers to keep their skills up-to-date and fresh, it is important that the Agency provide regular ongoing training to its staff.
- Who can you call if you have questions or complaints regarding Caregivers, Client Care, or any general questions?
- This is where a mid-sized Home Health Provider shines. Make sure you have access to the people who can make things happen if you have a problem that needs to be solved.
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