Selecting the Right Home Health Agency

By: Craig Mecham

As the population of the nation ages, more people are finding themselves in what has been called the "sandwich generation". They are simultaneously responsible for caring for their aging parents as well as their own children. They are "sandwiched" in between these two responsibilities. Chances are a significant number will be making some major health care decisions on behalf of parents-sometimes with their input and sometimes without, as necessity dictates.

If you're in this potentially tense and uncomfortable spot, first, you'll want to be certain to consider a qualified home health agency for your loved one rather than a nursing home or care center. It's well known that, with regular professional care, patients will typically do better in their own homes whenever it's possible to treat them in that environment.

Many home health agencies offer a wide spectrum of care from assistance with tasks of daily living such as bathing, meal preparation and light cleaning, to 24-hour nursing and hospice services. But, by contrast some are very narrow in their scope of care. You'll want to be certain that the home health agency you select has the capability to perform additional services, as they are needed.

This is an important consideration as your loved one advances in years and becomes less able to cope with normal daily activities. It is comforting to know that the home health agency you have selected can continue to provide care and your family member won't have the added stress of moving or becoming accustomed to new care givers.

Home health agencies such as Family Home Care & Hospice (FHC), based in Spokane, Washington, serve as a prime example of an organization with the resources to "grow" with the patient.

"We have specifically planned our service offerings so that we can continue to serve patients in their homes for as long as medically practical," explained Michael Nowling, President of FHC. "All our experience points to better outcomes for both the patient and the family if they can be effectively cared for within their own homes."

Indeed, FHC has been recognized by Medicare as among the top 1 percent of home health agencies in Washington State and among the top 3 percent of home health agencies in the nation. This recognition is based on extensive monitoring of patient outcomes and lends credibility to their stated goal of keeping patients in their own homes as long as possible. Medicare maintains a database of information about home health agencies and their patient outcomes. It's a good idea to visit their website and look at the data when considering a home health agency. You can log on at http://www.medicare.gov/HHCompare/home.asp.

Most patients will do very nicely utilizing the standard list of services offered by a qualified home health agency, but sometimes specialized services may be required. It is a good idea when evaluating your home health agency selection, to ask what specialized services are available. The chances of your loved one needing these services may be small, but if such a need ever arises you'll find comfort in knowing that your chosen agency can deliver those services. Specialized treatments or services may include primary care medical services, enteral therapy or wound care specialists.

A constant battle in any home health agency is recruiting and maintaining qualified personnel. It is critical for you to explore the home health agency's policies for background checks and on-going employee education and training.

"It's tough to get a job at FHC," noted Nowling, "but we're not sorry about that. In fact, that's the way it should be. We've built a great organization as a direct result of our strict qualifications and hiring protocols. We have a staff of professionals who hold themselves to the highest standards of practice and patient care and we support them in that effort. They work hard. They love their patients and it shows. They tend to stay at FHC much longer than is the average for home health agencies. This translates into better outcomes for patients and is a large part of the reason we've been so highly ranked by Medicare."

With regard to the skill levels and training of home health staff, it is a good idea to find a home health agency that places an emphasis on keeping their people trained in the latest therapies and techniques.

"Advances in technology have brought highly specialized medical equipment into the home," Nowling continued. "It is the responsibility of a good home health agency to see that employees are continually kept abreast of the latest developments in care."

Insurance coverage is also an important consideration in selecting a home health agency. Most home health agencies will accept Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance, including long term care policies. But this is definitely one of the first questions you should get answered in your search. Insurance coverages for home health will depend not only on the status of the home health agency, but also on your particular insurance policy. Rather than taking the time to comb through the legalese of the policy, it is often much more accurate and fast to simply talk to a customer service representative at the insurance company.

Just in case you haven't been making notes, here's a checklist:

Find a qualified home health agency or two for your list

Find out what is on their list of standard services

Ask what specialized services are available

Check out your selections by visiting: http://www.medicare.gov/HHCompare/home.asp

Find out the details of their employee screening and hiring practices

Ask what kind of staff training and education programs they have

Determine insurance coverage for your policy and for the home health agency

Whether your part of the "sandwich generation" or not, considering home health as part of your health care choice is just good judgment. Be certain that home health agencies are represented in your evaluation process. Your parent or family member will thank you.

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Serving the Inland Northwest for more than 40 years, Family Home Care & Hospice is synonymous with Spokane home care. FHC's record of positive outcomes gained recognition by Medicare as being among the top 1 percent of agencies in Washington.

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