The home health care plan is a document that outlines the specific home health services that will be provided to a patient, as well as the names of the professional caregivers who will deliver those services. We’ll discuss additional elements of a home health care plan, as well.
Home Health Care Plan Template
One way to remain consistent and deliver high-quality care is to develop a template for a “Home Health Care Plan” for each patient. A template ensures that you don’t miss anything important when developing a plan per patient.
Home health care plans have several elements.
Let’s explore them.
Home Health Services Needed
The first step is to list all of the home health services that the patient will need. These can include personal care, such as bathing and dressing; homemaking services, such as light housekeeping and meal preparation; and skilled services, such as nursing care or physical therapy.
Be sure to discuss these needs with the patient (and their family, if applicable) to ensure that you are providing the services they want and need.
A plan for a patient who has started showing signs of memory loss, for example, might include more homemaking services than a plan for a patient who is recovering from surgery. The caregiver will also need to be trained in how to best care for a patient with memory loss.
Identification of the Home Health Professional Caregivers
The next step is to identify which home health professional caregivers will deliver each of the services in the plan. These can be nurses, home health aides, physical therapists, or occupational therapists. Keep in mind that some states have regulations regarding which home health services can or must be provided by each type of professional.
Again, be sure to involve the patient (and their family) in these decisions, as they may have preferences about who provides their care.
Some patients require a team of caregivers, each of whom has a specialty. Others only need someone to help them with mobility issues. For example, a patient who is receiving home health services for the first time after a heart attack might have a plan that includes visits from a nurse, a home health aide, and a physical therapist.
Frequency of Home Health Services
Once you’ve identified which home health services will be provided, and by whom, the next step is to determine how often these services will be delivered. This will be based on the patient’s individual needs and may be adjusted as their condition changes.
For example, a home health plan for a patient with diabetes might include daily visits from a home health aide to help with blood sugar testing and insulin injections. A home health plan for a patient who is recovering from surgery might include three visits per week from a physical therapist.
Medical Equipment Needed
In some cases, home health patients will need to use medical equipment, such as a blood pressure monitor or a nebulizer. Be sure to include any necessary equipment in the home health care plan.
The patient’s insurance company may have specific requirements for which type of equipment can be used. Be sure to check with the insurance company before ordering any equipment.
Expected Results from Home Health Planning
The home health care plan should include specific goals that the patient (and their family) can expect to achieve. These goals should be realistic and achievable, and they should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
For example, a goal for a patient with diabetes might be to maintain blood sugar levels within a certain range. A goal for a patient who is recovering from surgery might be to regain the ability to walk independently.
In some cases, it’s better to establish milestones. This will keep patients motivated.
A template will include the following information:
-The names and contact information of the home health agency staff members who will be providing care
-A list of home health services that will be provided
-The frequency of home health visits
– Any daily/weekly standing appointments
-The medical equipment that will be needed
-The expected results or milestones of home health care
Conclusion
A home health care plan is an important tool for ensuring that home health patients receive the care they need. By including all of the necessary information in the home health care plan, entrepreneurs can be sure that their patients will receive the best possible care and their staff members have clearly-defined responsibilities with appropriate tasks.