What is a home health agency?
A home health agency provides home health care, or medical and other skilled care services that take place outside a hospital inside your home.
Home health care includes skilled nursing care , as well as other skilled care services, like physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology (therapy) services. Services may also include medical social services, and assistance from a home health aide (when needed by people also receiving skilled care).
These services are provided by a variety of health care professionals in your home. The home health staff provides and helps coordinate the care and/or therapy your doctor orders. In support of your doctor’s orders, home health staff develop a care plan, which is a written plan for your care. It tells what services you will get to reach and keep your best physical, mental, and social well being. You have a right to participate in planning your care and treatment. The home health staff keeps your doctor up-to-date on how you are doing and updates your care plan as needed. Home health agencies cannot make changes to the care your doctor orders for you without your doctor’s knowledge and permission.
Source: www.Medicare.gov
A home health agency (HHA) is an organization that provides homecare services, including skilled nursing care and home care aide services as well as occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and medical social services. If you use a home health agency, the agency will hire and supervise the workers that come into your home. The agency assumes full liability for all care. The workers are employees of the agency, and the agency is responsible for all employee taxes and benefits.
Related Questions
- What code should be used by a home health agency when a patient has moved without notice and the agency is unable to complete the plan of care?
- How do I know if the home health agency I choose is reputable and provides top quality care?
- What code is used for patients discharged to home under a home health agency with DME?
