Questions to consider when looking for a home health agency:
- How long has the agency been serving the community?
- Does the agency have printed brochures describing the services it offers and how much they cost? If so, ask for one.
- Is the agency an approved Medicare provider?
- Is the agency’s quality of care certified by a national accrediting body such as the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations?
- Does the agency have a current license to practice (if required in the state where you live)?
- Does the agency offer a “patient’s bill of rights” that describes the rights and responsibilities of both the agency and the senior being cared for?
- Does the agency write a plan of care for the patient (with input from the patient, his/her doctor and family), and update the plan as necessary?
- Does the care plan outline the patient’s course of treatment, describing specific tasks to be performed by each caregiver?
- How closely do supervisors oversee care to ensure quality?
- Will agency caregivers keep family members informed about the kind of care their loved one is getting?
- Are agency staff members available around the clock, seven days a week, if necessary?
- Does the agency have a nursing supervisor available to provide on-call assistance 24 hours a day?
- How does the agency ensure patient confidentiality?
- How are agency caregivers hired and trained?
- What is the procedure for resolving problems when they occur, and who can you call with questions or complaints?
- How does the agency handle billing?
- Is there a sliding fee schedule based on ability to pay, and is financial assistance available to pay for services?
- Will the agency provide a list of references for its caregivers?
- Who does the agency call if the home healthcare worker cannot come when scheduled?
- What type of employee screening is done?