Questions to Ask a Home Health Care Provider
Everything you need to know prior to beginning home health care
The health and wellbeing of you and your family is undeniably important. That’s why when it comes to making decisions about who will care for you or your loved ones, it’s critical to gather all necessary information. The best way to ensure you are making well informed decisions is by asking fruitful questions. This article will review what questions to ask a home health care provider prior to beginning care.
What is home health care?
First, it is important to understand what home health care is, and what services it can provide prior to your search for care. According to Medicare, “Home health care is a wide range of health care services that can be given in your home for an illness or injury.” The team at Ethos Home Health Care would agree with that. Ethos provides services such as skilled nursing, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, chronic illness management, in-home technology, and more to help individuals regain or maintain their independence at home. Learn more about our home health care services here.
What questions should I ask a home health care provider?
Now that you have an understanding of home health care, and the services available, let’s look at some important questions to ask a home health care provider prior to starting care.
1. What home health care services are available to support my unique needs?
We touched on the services home health care can provide, but some home health care services may differ depending on the agency. It is also important to understand how those services apply to your specific needs. Being an active participant in your care planning can be crucial to your success. Make sure you understand how home health care will improve your condition, and what services are necessary to make your goals achievable.
2. Who will be a part of my care team?
Once you have identified which home health care services will be necessary for your care plan, you can begin to ask questions about staffing. Early on, the home health care provider may not have details on which specific staff members will be assigned to you, but they may be able to give you a better idea of what types of staff members you can expect. This might include physical, occupational, or speech therapists, registered or licensed practical nurses, home health aides, and more. From there, you may ask questions about their training and qualifications.
3. How often will home health care staff visit me?
After you have a general idea about who will be on your care team, you can begin to ask questions about the frequency of visits. At Ethos Home Health Care, the frequency of visits will be based on your unique needs and insurance coverage. Our staff would be happy to go over this information with you and work with your medical provider to determine an appropriate visitation frequency.
4. What can I expect during a home health care visit?
Now that you have information about your care team and how often you can expect visits, you might ask what a typical home health care visit would look like. Your visit might include vital sign checks, questions about your pain and health condition, help with medication management, skilled nursing care, therapy services, education, and more. Based on your health condition and care plan, the home health care provider will be able to paint a clearer picture of what your typical visit might include.
5. How does payment work?
It is important to understand the payment methods the home health care provider accepts to ensure that it will be a good fit for your financial situation. Ethos Home Health Care is covered by Medicare, Veterans benefits, private insurance plans, or private pay. Our team will work with you to determine your eligibility and level of coverage. Once you have determined that the home health care provider accepts your preferred payment method, you may want to ask about the process for payment or submitting to insurance.
6. How do I begin services?
Once the provider has checked all the boxes, and you are ready to proceed with care, ask about the process for beginning services. Several home health care providers will require orders from your primary care provider. The team at Ethos Home Health Care would be happy to help you obtain these orders from your medical provider, as well as walk you through our admission process.
Begin your search for care with Ethos Home Health Care
To learn more about our organization, the services we provide, and the areas we serve, we invite you to explore our website. To speak with a member of our team about your unique situation and care options, please contact us at (701) 809-9319 or fill out an online inquiry form.
September 27th, 2023 | By Kaylee Yamry
