Definition Of Home Health Care Agency

A home health care agency generally provides skilled nursing service or other therapeutic service to patients under the supervision of a physician or registered nurse. Such an agency functions in accordance with established by a physician and maintains clinical records on all patients. A home health care agency does not normally provide custodial care or care and treatment of patients suffering from mental disorders. A home health care agency has to be licensed or certified by proper authorities and run in accordance with the laws that pertain to agencies that offer home health care.

A home health care agency usually provides two main categories services: custodial (skilled) or supportive (unskilled) care. Supportive services are provided by non-medical home health care agencies, which help patients with personal care like bathing, grooming, dressing, as well as meal preparation, housekeeping, and shopping. Such an agency is also often asked to help patients with self-administered medications, ambulation and exercises, and transportation to medical appointments.

Custodial or supportive services of this type can be arranged for up to 24 hours daily or as a temporary arrangement. A home health care agency of this type is usually of great help for older people to who find it difficult to cope with the situation because of their declining abilities.

The other type of home health care agency offers skilled services by medical practitioners and provides nursing care, as well as physical, occupational, speech, and respiratory therapy to patients. Such an agency also provides social services and hospice care. In accordance with a particular plan of care, and supervised by a nurse or therapist, a certified home health aide may offer patients personal care for a limited period of time.

Such skilled services are offered intermittently, with scheduled home visits to homebound clients only, under a plan of treatment chalked out by a medical practitioner. If one takes the help of such a home health care agency, it reduces the necessity of unnecessary hospitalization, speed up release from hospital, and also enables an older person to remain at home during acute illnesses or while recuperating.

Patients often enter into a contract with a home health care agency for supportive and custodial services (unskilled) on a private-pay basis for a certain amount of time and money. Medicaid runs community-based programs in a few states, aimed at offering older people with personal care assistance in their homes instead of institutional care. There are some insurance policies that allow coverage for home health aides, one must obtain these home services through a licensed agency so that those become eligible for reimbursement.

As an alternative option, you can hire your own caregiver privately which usually costs less and allow you more role in the decision-making process. Although this option works well under certain circumstances, managing care in the employer role can be very time consuming and also frustrating on some occasions. However, skilled care services that fulfill required guidelines including a plan of treatment prepared by a medical practitioner and stick to rigid homebound needs are generally reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private health insurance policies.

• Emma Bullock
• 10/02/2009, 4:59 PM
• 0 Comments