When choosing a home health care partner, there are many important things to consider that impact your practice and your patients. Being able to rely on a trusted and accessible team of external providers who can support and supplement your plan of care helps you manage your patients’ health more effectively. And as the trusted primary care provider, you have significant influence over the level of care that your patients receive at home and the quality and speed of their recovery.

Home health can provide patients the nursing and therapy they need in the comfort of their own homes so they can avoid spending time in an inpatient facility. Patients often recover more effectively in the familiar surroundings of their homes, and they’re more likely to have sustained recovery when they learn to care for themselves in their own environments. This can make for better long-term patient outcomes, reduced readmissions rates and happier patients and families.

When evaluating home health providers, there are several factors to consider. 

How quickly will your patients be seen?

An effective home health care provider has the ability and resources to quickly gather demographics, document details through the intake process, coordinate with your office and get your patient seen within 48 hours.

Can the provider effectively coordinate referrals and insurance coverage for the patient?

A skilled home health care team can help your patients get all the benefits they need, for as long as they need them. A home health agency should clearly understand and help physicians and their teams navigate the requirements of Medicare and other insurance providers. These include helping physicians document a clear need and homebound status. In addition to addressing admissions requirements, a skilled home health care team should also understand how to navigate complex coding requirements that can change frequently.

How does the provider manage ongoing communication with you and any other specialists partnering to oversee the patient’s care?

Patients in need of home health often have complex conditions and comorbidities that require close collaboration between a home health provider and the patient’s referring physician. An effective provider will communicate clearly, serving as your eyes and ears in the home. They’ll coordinate patient information and referrals through tools such as electronic medical records, working proactively with you and your team to ensure you’re aware of the patient’s progress and to discuss any potential issues that arise.

Will the agency complete a detailed assessment before the start of care?

A home care agency’s responsibility is to review a patient’s mental and physical condition, medication use, support system and home environment. This includes working with the physician to develop a care plan specific to the patient’s needs.

Does the home health provider offer specialized care for conditions that affect your patients?

Home health care providers should invest in the development of specialty programs for heart, lung, orthopedic, neurological and diabetes-related conditions based on the latest science and current best practices. In addition, they must consistently educate their clinicians with updated information and research.

Do the clinicians receive specialty training for older adults?

Home health clinicians must be trained to address the unique needs of older adults. These patients may experience challenges in adhering to their medication plans or may struggle with managing their own conditions. Home health professionals require the knowledge and tools to help these patients achieve the best outcomes.

 How does the provider empower patients to manage their conditions?

Personalized, thoughtful care is the key to successful home care. It’s important to take the time to understand patients’ personal goals and get to the heart of what motivates each individual. Doing so helps people not only achieve initial success but also adopt long-term changes so they can remain independent for as long as possible.

Does the agency offer the latest approaches to home care?

Innovative care significantly improves your chances of keeping your patients out of the hospital for unnecessary and unplanned visits. Today’s home health care providers should invest in continuing education to ensure their clinicians keep up with the latest methods.

CenterWell Home Health is the world’s largest home care provider, and because of our size and resources, we have the right clinicians available to care for your patients — therapists, nurses, aides and more. We consistently outperform in national scores for patient satisfaction, and our patients return to the hospital 12.8% less often than the national average. We’re your trusted home care partner, ensuring your patients get the care they need in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

We’re also committed to our local communities. Many of our clinicians live in the communities where they care for patients, and we continually invest in training and technology for all our clinicians and therapists at the local level, helping ensure the patients they serve receive the highest level of personalized care for improved outcomes. You can count on us to be there when you need us.

CenterWell Home Health is also a leader in clinical innovation, continually discovering new and improved techniques that can help patients build and maintain their independence. As an example, we’re the only home health provider offering the use of MyNICaS™ in the home. This portable, noninvasive monitoring technology gives clinicians a clear picture of cardiovascular health, leading to dramatically improved outcomes for patients with heart failure. In collaboration with you, our skilled, compassionate clinicians and therapists can help your patients recover and regain strength in their familiar surroundings. Most importantly, we never forget that our work is about people and that our company is about delivering care that comes from the heart. 

“They are a leader in this medical community, showcasing outstanding quality care metrics and innovative specialty programs. We have been very grateful at our practice to utilize all the programs and services that they offer, which help keep our patients safe at home while helping to control unnecessary ER visits and reducing readmissions.”  

— Dr. William L.  