The Benefits to Home Health Agencies of Offering Both Skilled & Non-Skilled Care

Offering a wide variety of services that are skilled and non-skilled within a homecare agency can provide benefits to both agencies and clients. The convenience of having services provided by one agency ranging from assistance with activities of daily living to advanced wound treatments can give a more holistic approach to client care with less headache.

The benefits of providing both skilled and non-skilled care to homecare agencies fall into three major categories: building a client base, retaining clients, and becoming the go-to agency for homecare referrals.

Building a Client Base

As more services are provided by an agency, census growth can be expected to follow. It is more sensible for homecare agencies only offering skilled nursing services to expand and offer non-skilled care. Medicare does not pay for home health aide services unless clients are already receiving skilled nursing services, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, or occupational therapy services. Having both offerings can secure clients with complex needs now, who may also decide to continue some services for more basic tasks once their reimbursement period is over. This is especially true when clients have had a chance to experience a better quality of life during a qualifying event, as it could be viewed as worth the cost.

Using the widely available search tool online provided by Medicare, clients can easily find local homecare agencies, Medicare-certified, ratings, and offered services. Deciding which homecare agency to choose is made easier when a more comprehensive list is available to clients within a few clicks. On the same web page, Medicare provides a home health agency checklist online for potential clients to compare agencies. A simple questionnaire to check boxes “yes” or “no” is provided. One question specifically asks if personal care services are provided such as bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom, and another asks if additional services are provided or arranged by the agency such as meal preparation, meal delivery, or transportation to and from appointments. Skilled nursing services are also listed. More “yes” boxes checked for one agency demonstrates a strong visual of dedication to future clients of comprehensive care for all current and potential future needs.

Deciding to provide both skilled and non-skilled services can boost your agency’s appeal by marketing your dedication to safer client care. At the root of continuity of care is the word continuous. To provide care through extended periods where all providers of service easily work together within one agency reduces fragmentation of care and improves communication.  Communication between all team members through one agency, utilizing one home health software that allows for seamless transfer of client information promotes quality. Continuity of care is a proven need in healthcare within all healthcare settings, with concern during transitions from hospital to home. This all adds up to promoting your agency as one that uses evidence-based methods to achieve client outcomes and help keep them home by providing skilled and non-skilled services under one roof.

Retaining Clients

Change is hard. Declining independence is hard. Making life easier for clients and their families during stressful times can keep clients. Offering a wide range of services can safeguard against losses. Many clients start with basic needs in their homes such as meal preparation, reminders to take medications, grooming, bathing and enter periods of need for specialized care after a hospitalization or surgery that requires skilled care. Allowing clients the ability to flow between skilled and non-skilled care needs within one agency allows higher retention. If a client has a positive experience with skilled and non-skilled nursing during one service period, they are more likely to use your agency for non-skilled services, even without coverage, at a different point in time when needed. Take advantage of serving the aging population in their home holistically. After all, the overwhelming majority want to age in place.

Families that have long been providing basic care to their loved one and are looking for an agency to take over will look online. A simple Google search of “how to choose a homecare agency for my loved one” reveals information top and center from the Home Care Association of America to assess client needs and explains that “some agencies even offer skilled nursing for individuals…” which lends itself to persuade the reader that more is better.

Building a Brand

Becoming the homecare agency that easily comes to mind for referrals is not an easy task, yet once achieved can provide exponential growth through referrals. Agency growth occurs through strengthening homecare partnerships and leveraging data. For agencies looking to expand, evaluate who is already being served by reviewing the standardized data set collected for OASIS requirements. Basic needs assessments are well documented on admission and transitions of care. The data can provide a wealth of information on a patient’s ability to perform tasks and functional basic needs. Evaluating demographic data on these documents also helps find areas where new clients and partnerships could be marketed.  Ask the questions:

• Who in the community being served does the agency have relationships with that need to be made aware of any new skilled or non-skilled services being offered?
• What is the best way to communicate new services being offered (online through social media, phone calls, email lists, etc.)?
• Who helped the agency grow in the past? Can the agency reach out to earlier relations for support to build the agency brand with new services?

Expanding services based on a valid needs assessment promotes sustained success. Partnerships are the vehicle to take your agency to the next level. On the Medicare home health agency checklist, potential clients are asked if the agency is recommended by their hospital discharge planner, doctor, or social worker. Potential clients and their loved ones are also looking for references from current or previous clients. Partnerships matter, as do recommendations. Offering comprehensive services allows for more opportunities for more visibility through online reviews and reputation building. Making the move to offer both skilled and non-skilled services can mobilize your agency to the next level of growth.

Author’s Note: Views, information, and guidance in this resource are intended for information only. We are not rendering legal, financial, accounting, medical, or other professional advice. Alora disclaims any liability to any third party and cannot make any guarantee related to the content.

Reference links:

Medicare HH agency checklist

OASIS manual

HCAOA – choosing an agency

Related blogs:

1. What is keeping my agency from growing?
2. The key metrics your agency must watch
3. The seven steps to starting a successful home health agency (whitepaper)
4. Top tools and tips to help your home health agency grow
5. The value of an EMR in home health
6. Should your agency add non-skilled care?

Author’s Note: Views, information, and guidance in this resource are intended for information only. We are not rendering legal, financial, accounting, medical, or other professional advice. Alora disclaims any liability to any third party and cannot make any guarantee related to the content.