YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

DOES A PATIENT QUALIFY FOR HOME HEALTH SERVICES?

• Is willing and able to participate in their care

• Has the need for skilled care services including skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy or speech therapy

• Is homebound. The patient demonstrates a strenuous effort to leave home unassisted and leaving home unassisted is unsafe for the patient. The patient may leave their home periodically for short durations of time and/or to receive medical care and is still be eligible receive home health services. (Medicaid patients do not need to be homebound to receive services)

• Remains under the direct care of a physician who has authorized home health services

• Has seen the physician or non-physician practitioner (NPP) in the last 90 days or will see them in the next 30 days

• Has a new or exacerbated disease process

HELPFUL HINTS FOR IDENTIFYING "AT RISK" PATIENTS WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM HOME CARE SERVICES

Does your patient:

• Understand his/her diagnosis?

• Understand what his/her disease(s) process is and how to manage it?

• Make frequent visits or phone calls to the doctor’s office?

• Have a new or an exacerbating diagnosis?

• Live alone or with/without a close by relative?

• Have new or recent medication changes?

• Have multiple medications to manage?

• Required emergency care recently?

• Have a recent or have had multiple hospitalizations?

• Have shortness of breath, even while sitting?

• Have an unusual weight change lately; gain or loss? 

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Home health is helpful to patients who have:

• A need for IV Therapy

• Wound or ostomy care

• Catheter care

• Cardiac & Pulmonary monitoring needs

• A need for teaching of a diagnosis and medication management

• A need for pain management

• A need for rehabilitative services such as physical, occupation and/or speech therapy