When choosing a home health care or hospice provider, there are more options than one may realize, according to Vicki Bishop, Director of Quality Management/Compliance for Visiting Nurse Association California (VNA California). Bishop says numerous agencies and services exist beyond what one’s attending physician may recommend.
In an effort to empower patients and their families, VNA California is on a mission to raise awareness about how to choose the highest quality medical care available that meets a patient’s medical needs and desires.
“In 1997, Congress passed a law that said all patients who need home health or hospice care should be given a list of agencies to choose from before they are discharged from the hospital,” said Bishop. She believes there are several important things for patients to know about an agency, such as how long it has been in business and whether or not it is accredited and Medicare certified. She also says to be sure it is licensed.
Patients are typically concerned about whether or not they can continue to see their own physician through the home health care program they choose. “With home health care, a patient typically remains under the care of their own doctor. We keep in contact with the doctor and follow the care plan he or she has established,” said Bishop. “In hospice, usually a physician will transition the care to our medical director who will be the one to attend to the patient.”
Regardless of which home health care or hospice agency a patient decides on, most insurance plans, as well as Medicare and Medical, will pay the costs, according to Bishop. For those who do not have insurance or means to pay, Bishop says VNA California does not turn down a person who is in need of hospice care.
VNA California prides itself on its depth of services and willingness to take on the most difficult of patients, such as those with severe wounds or who are in need of IV therapy. They can offer highly specialized services because its nurses are trained to handle every situation imaginable.
“All of our nurses have a wealth of knowledge,” said Bishop. “Truthfully, they have to be a jack of all trades and master of all of them because they are the in-home medical professional contact.”
“And beyond their expertise, they now take a computer into a home and access their patient’s records. This has proven to be a big advantage in helping them provide the best care possible.”
Look for Part 2 of this article in our October issue.