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The Intake Process for Home Health Care
The official intake process is overwhelming, especially when it is misunderstood. At Vancouver Home Health Care, it’s important to us that you understand every step of the way, if you’re a potential patient or family member considering in-home care. Let us take you through the steps of the intake process, and as always, if you have more questions, call us today!
Home Health Supervisor
This person, typically a nurse, has the responsibility for most of the Intake Process. The Supervisor will review the referral for services and begin with the appropriate intake paperwork. This paperwork may differ between Oregon and Washington, but the basics are the same.
Intake paperwork includes some or all the following information:
- Welcome Page
- Admissions Criteria
- Rights and Responsibilities of Patient
- Grievances
- HIPPA Policies
- Nutrition Information
- Medicaid or Medicare Fraud Reporting
- Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation, Drug Testing Policy
- Advance Directive Information
- Infection Control
- Family Disaster Plan
- Home Safety
- Payment of Services
- Plan of Care Supervision
- Medicare Secondary Payer Worksheet
- Medicare/Medicaid Card Verification
- Advance Beneficiary Notice
- Privacy Rights
- Consent and Verification of Receipt of Information
- Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Plan
- Medication Profile
- Communication Sheet
- Vital Signs Record
- Patient Calendar
- Care Plan
- Home Safety Checklist
It seems like a long list, but it is all necessary information to make sure the patient is properly treated. Allow time to read all documents and ask as many questions as necessary until the process is fully understood.
Insurance Information
After the insurance information is gathered, a supervisor will collect the proper authorizations. He or she will contact the insurance company to determine eligibility, needs for pre-authorizations, payment amounts and Medicare enrollment. The supervisor will complete any paperwork needed by third party insurances and refer the patient to an in-network provider if necessary.
The supervisor also handles paperwork for Medicare, as this is different than private insurance paperwork. Staff handling payments must know that the patient is a Medicare recipient to fill out paperwork correctly. All insurance forms must be completed fully. The Supervisor or assisting staff member can help make sure all forms are complete. After the paperwork is completed and improved, a home inspection is completed to finish the intake process.
Home Inspection
The Supervisor or an authorized staff member will perform a home inspection during the initial intake process. This inspection is a judgement-free look at the patient’s home. The inspector is searching for some of the following:
- Clear pathways for movement around the home using a cane, walker or wheelchair, even if patient does not currently need help with mobility
- Home cleanliness and laundry needs, as infectious disease spread is of concern in aging populations
- Access to facilities, such as safe access to showers and toilets
- Safety of flooring; no frayed carpets or loose floorboards
- Safety of railings, especially on porches
- Clear path from home to outside; assess need for ramps
- Clear patient education available for self-care
If there are any questions, be sure to ask. Educating our clients and their families is our priority, and we want you to know exactly what’s happening during every step. We will take the time to make sure everyone understands the intake process because we want this to be as smooth a process as possible.
At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.