When you are interviewing home health care agencies consider the following 16 questions.
- Are you licensed for medical care and non-medical (companion) care?
- Are all employees drug tested, background checked, licensed, bonded and insured?
- Does your agency make periodic supervisory visits to the clients home to assure quality?
- Does your agency have method or system of monitoring the quality of their agency?
- How often does your agency update your plan of care?
- Does your agency have a guaranteed compatibility system in place to assure client satisfaction?
- Can I get a caregiver who has worked with a patient of similar condition/illness?
- Can I interview the employee(s) before I commit to using your agency?
- Will your agency provide a free no commitment in-home assessment?
- Does your agency provide 24/7 telephone service? Do they use an answering service or pagers?
- Does your agency have a registered nurse available 24/7?
- Does your agency require a minimum length of visit? If so, what is the minimum?
- Does your agency maintain a business office where I can meet you and the office staff?
- Can you provide emergency monitoring systems, medication solutions and other safety technology?
- How quickly can you initiate services?
- Are you able to provide a timely and comparable caregiver substitutions in the event the scheduled caregiver has an emergency?