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Selecting A Home Care Provider

As homecare’s popularity grows, how do you choose a homecare provider? Here are some questions you should ask when selecting a home care agency.

• How long has the agency been serving the community? Length of service can be a measure of stability and reliability.
• Is the agency certified by Medicare? The fact that an agency is Medicare-certified is one measure of quality, because it means that the agency has met federal requirements.
• Is the agency licensed?
• What are the agency's procedures for handling emergencies?
• Does the agency provide print material describing its services, eligibility requirements, fees and funding sources?
• Does the agency assign supervisors to oversee the quality of care being delivered in the home? Is there a supervisor on call and available 24 hours a day?
• How does an agency choose and train its employees? Does it protect its workers with written personnel policies, benefit packages and malpractice insurance?
• Does an agency nurse or therapist conduct an in-home evaluation of the patient's needs? What is included in the evaluation and who is consulted (patient's family, physician)?
• Is there a written plan of care and does the physician, patient and family participate in its development?
• Does the agency require criminal record background checks and communicable disease screens for its staff?
• Whom do you call at the agency with questions or complaints? How are problems resolved?
• Does the agency ensure patient confidentiality?