What is Home Care? Who Pays for Home Care? What if a Problem Develops? What Types of Services do Home Care Providers Deliver? What are the Standard Billing and Payment Practices? Who Provides Home Care? What are my Rights as a Patient? What are the Occupation Details for each Provider?

WHAT ARE THE OCCUPATION DETAILS FOR EACH PROVIDER? Physicians visit patients in their homes to diagnose and treat illnesses just as they do in hospitals and private offices. They also work with home care providers to determine which service patients require, which specialists are most suitable, to render the needed services, and how often these services needed to be provided. With this information, physicians prescribe and oversee patient plans of care. Under Medicare, physician and home health agency personnel review thse plans of care as often as required by the severity of patient medical conditions at least once every 62 days. The interdisciplinary team reviews the care plans for hospice patients and their families at least once a month or as frequently as patient conditions and/or family circumstances require. Registered nurses (RNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) provide skilled services that cannot be performed safely and effectively by nonprofessional personnel. Some of these services include injections and intravenous therapy, wound care, education on disease treatment and prevention, and patient assessment. RNs may also provide case management services. RNs have received two or more years of specialized training and are licensed to work under the supervision of registered nurses. The intricacy of a patient’s medical condition and require corse of treatment determine whether care should be provided by an RN or can be provided by an LVN. Physical Therapists (PTs) work to restore the mobility and strength of patients who are limited or disable dby phsycial injuries with exercsei, massage, and other methods. PTs often alleviate pain and restore injured muscles with specialized quipment. They also teach patients and caregivers special techniques for walking and transfer. Social Workers evaluate the social and emotional factors affecting ill and disabled individuals and provide counseling., They also help patients and their family members identify available community resources. Social workers often serve as case managergs when patients’ conditions are so complex that professionals need to assess medical and supportive needs and coordinate a variety of services. Speech language pathologists work to develop and restore the speech of individuals with communication disorder; usually these disorders are the result of traumas such as surgery or stroke. Speech therapists also help retrain patients in breathing, swallowing, and muscle control. Occupational Therapists (Ots) help individuals who have physical, developmental, social, or emotional problems that prevent them from performing the general activities of daily living (ADL). Ots instruct patients on using specialized rehabilitation techniques and equipment to improve their function in tasks such as eating, bathing, dressing, and basic household routine. Dieticians provide counseling services to individuals who need professional dietary assessments and guidance to manage properly an illness or disability. HCA/home health aides assist patients with ADLs such as getting in an dout of bed, walking, bathing, toileting, and dressing. Some aides have received special training and are qualified to provide more complex services under the supervision of a nursing professional. Homemaker and chore workers perform light household duties such as laundry, meal preparation, general housekeeping, and shopping. Their services are directed at maintaining patient households rather than providing hands-on assistance with personal care. Companions provide companionship and comfort to individuals who, for medical and/or safety reasons, may not be left at home alone. Some companions may assist clients with household tasks, but most are limited to providing sitter services.