Choose Your Agency Carefully

There are plenty of people ready and willing to help you or a loved one receive care at home. Their recommendations are helpful in making your selection, but careful consideration should be given before making your final selection.

The following are a list of questions you can print off and use to help select the homecare provider that best suits your needs.

1. What is the agency's fee for a nurse or homecare aide?
2. How does the agency keep the family updated on the consumer's progress?
3. What happens when the nurse or homecare aide alls off? What is the agency's backup system?
4. Will the homecare aide or nurse always be the same person?
5. How many years has the agency been in business?
6. Does the agency have literature describing its services and costs for those services?
7. Does the agency have any type of accreditation?
8. Is there a written plan of care and do the doctor, patient and family participate in its developing?
9. What are the payment procedures? Does the provider furnish written statements explaining all costs?
10. Are agency caregivers available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week?
11. Does the agency have a supervisor on call and available 24 hours per day?
12. Does the agency require criminal record background checks and communicable disease screens for its staff members?
13. What is the agency's procedures for resolving conflicts should they arise between homecare staff and family?
14. Will the agency provide a list of references?

If you are considering a Medicare-certified agency, you can view the results of the agency's last inspection by visiting www.health.state.pa.us. For the latest quality information on a Medicare-certified agency visit, www.medicare.gov/HHCompare/Home.asp.