08 Jul Choosing a Home Health Provider
When injury or illness hits, it can be a very confusing time and choosing the right home health care or home hospice provider for your families needs is critically important. To help you prepare for that moment and deal with the stress of the situation, Comprehensive Home Heath & Hospice has prepared these guidelines for choosing a provider that will be right for your needs and help ensure a speedy recovery for you or your loved one.
The simple reality is, not all providers are created equal. Doing some research and asking questions can make a significant difference in the quality of care you receive. First and foremost, identify several potential partner providers – don’t just choose the first one you learn about. Visit the state licensing website to ensure the providers you are evaluating are in good standing, have consistently solid ratings.
Schedule an introductory conversation or request a consult. Spend some time developing questions to ask during the consult. Again, your physician will be a great resource to help you identify the specific needs you’ll need to rely on your provider for.
Perhaps most significantly, virtual visits became the norm. Through the use of telemedicine technology, we greatly reduced the amount of in-person contact our care givers had with patients, while still ensuring we were providing personalized, “face to face” care. Through platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and even FaceTime the team members at Comprehensive Home Health & Hospice were able to effectively care for patients, ensure a personal connection with each one, as well as reduce exposure risk for the patient, the patient’s family, the care provider, and the community at large.
To help ensure each of our clients are protected against COVID-19, we provide each new patient with a COVID care package. Each of these care packages includes:
- Fingertip Pulse Oximeter
- Latex Gloves
- Digital Thermometer
- Hand Sanitizer
- Face Masks
- Stethoscope, and more.
Ask your physician. This is perhaps the best way, but often the most overlooked. Your physician works with people in need of a care provider on a regular basis. This means they know what specialties different providers excel in and where they may not be able to meet the needs of you or your loved one. Ask them for several recommendations of providers who have expertise in treating situations like yours. They’ll likely be more than happy to provide recommendations and guidance.
Here are a few important questions to ask:
- How does the provider deal with emergencies and what are their hours of service? Comprehensive Home Health & Hospice serves patients 24×7.
- How long have they been in business? Comprehensive Home Health & Hospice has been serving the San Antonio and Bexar County are for over a decade. We pride ourselves on the wide range of patients we have successful served and the relationships we have built over that time.
- What is involved in the patient evaluation and care planning process? A documented plan that involves the patient, their physician and their caregivers is imperative for a speedy recovery. Choose a provider who is transparent about their plans and processes.
- Is there someone assigned to ensure quality of service and clear communication with the physician? Comprehensive Home Health & Hospice provides a Medical Director for each patient. Their role is to ensure the quality of treatment, and keep communication flowing between patient, physician, and caregivers.
- Ask for references. This is the simplest but perhaps most overlooked opportunity to learn about your provider. Ask to speak to previous clients or their family members who had similar cases. Ask to speak to physicians who they’ve worked with other than your own, to find out more about their reputation in the medical community.
- How do they handle confidentiality? With HIPPA and other privacy regulations, it’s important to choose a provider who values patient privacy and invests to ensure your information remains secure. Providers should give you a privacy standards outline upon request.
We hope these tips are valuable in helping you to choose a home health care or hospice provider, should you find yourself in need. The large majority of providers are very reputable and do a great job serving their patients, but it’s worth the homework to ensure you or your loved one receives the highest quality home health or hospice care possible. If you’d like to learn more about Comprehensive Home Health & Hospice, we invite you to request a consult.