• An increased emphasis on health maintenance and preventative health may broaden the focus of home care to include well care in addition to illness care. • The future of home care will be shaped by the focus of keeping health care costs down, as well as increasing industry competition and a higher demand for quality. The Medicare Program is a national health insurance offered by the federal government. Home health is a covered service to qualified patients/clients. The Home Health Agency must be certified to provide care and be reimbursed from Medicare. Conditions of Participation (CoP) outline minimum health and safety requirements for Home Health Agencies. Each of the conditions have minimum standards that must be met to be qualified for Medicare certification. Note: These Conditions of Participation are the basis for the Agency’s policy and procedures. Regulatory agencies that oversee an agency’s program include: • State licensing and/or survey agency • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) contracts with state licensing and survey agencies for oversight of CoP adherence for Medicare certification • And there are three voluntary accreditation organizations: o The Joint Commission (TJC) o Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP) o Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) Agency Mission and Philosophy Our mission is to participate as an active part of the community, and to provide and continuously improve home health care services to meet the needs of the patient/client by delivering value driven, high quality, compassionate care. We believe in the importance of caring for each patient/client with honesty, respect, and dignity by adapting to the needs of each patient/client and providing individualized care. Overview of the Agency Organizational Chart The organizational chart provides a visualization of the chain of command from licensee to patient/client. The staff will be informed of any pre-designated individuals fulfilling alternate roles. Ask your supervisor for a current copy.
