Most of us  have little first-hand knowledge of home health care and services. You  may need more facts to make the best possible health care  decisions. Here we’ll tell you about home healthcare, and answer some of  the common questions that people ask.

Many  health care treatments that were once offered only in a hospital, a  doctor’s office or a nursing facility can now be done at home—things  like IV therapy, wound care and stroke rehabilitation. Home Health  professionals such as nurses, physical therapists, occupational  therapists, social workers and personal care aides provide services.

The goal is to improve your health and for you to become independent in managing your health.

Examples  are people who need treatment for wounds, who need IV therapy, who must  have rehabilitation after a knee or hip is replaced, or someone whose  chronic illness has not been completely stable.

Your  doctor orders Home Health and must be willing to continue to manage  your care. You must have a problem that requires the services of a  registered nurse, speech pathologist or physical therapist (sometimes  called a “skilled need”), and you must be homebound.

Home  Health is for people who are homebound, but this doesn’t mean you can’t  leave home. It means that leaving home takes a great effort. It usually  means that you need help from someone else and perhaps a wheelchair or  walker to leave home. Patients may leave home for medical treatment, and  occasionally for non-medical things (like attending religious services,  attending a special event or getting a haircut) and still qualify for  Home Health.

Medicare, Medi-Cal  and many insurance plans cover Home Health visits when ordered by your  doctor. We will work with your insurance provider to check your coverage  for Home Health.

Your  doctor decides and is the one to give Pathways an order for Home  Health. You must remain under the care of your doctor during the period  you have Home Health.

Your doctor  decides which kinds of care you need—possibly a nurse, a physical  therapist, a speech pathologist, or a combination. Only if you have at  least one of those three, your doctor may also order an occupational  therapist, social worker or personal care aide, depending on your  condition.

Often the doctor’s  office will call Pathways. If you are a patient in the hospital, the  hospital discharge planner may call. You may ask either the doctor or  discharge planner about Home Health, or you can call us yourself; we  will find out if your doctor would like to order Home Health for you.

Pathways  Home Health is very comprehensive and cares for people who need things  such as wound care, physical rehabilitation after a stroke or surgery,  intravenous (IV) medications, and help managing the symptoms of a  life-threatening illness. Pathways also has programs for people with  chronic diseases.

These are  diseases that get worse slowly over many years. Examples of chronic  diseases are emphysema (COPD), heart failure, dementia, diabetes and  sometimes cancer. The goal of our chronic disease programs is to teach  people to successfully manage their disease and to recognize warning  signs. This can help avoid trips to the hospital.

Palliative  means comfort. Palliative care, whether in the hospital or at home, is  to relieve pain and other symptoms—no matter what the cause is. Pathways  Home Health has a Palliative Care team for people with advanced or  serious illness and need help managing their symptoms. Patients may be  getting curative therapies including chemotherapy, radiation, dialysis  or surgery.

Pathways Home Health has nurses available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for consultation or home visits if needed.

Home  Health services are intermittent. Services are provided with short  visits from healthcare professionals.  No one comes to stay. Patients  who need full-time nursing care do not qualify for Home Health.

The  frequency of visits is based on the doctor’s order and the patient’s  needs, and may vary from monthly to daily, but most commonly are one to  two times a week. Visits are usually an hour or less.

If  the patient has a skilled need and a nurse, speech pathologist or  physical therapist is visiting, then the doctor may also order a home  health aide to assist with personal care such as bathing, dressing, and  shaving.  Needing only personal care does not qualify for Home Health.

Home  Health is intended for short periods, such as a few weeks; it is not  ongoing. Home Health is provided just long enough to stabilize your  health and teach you about managing your condition independently.

Supplies,  like wound dressings, are paid for when they are ordered as part of  your care. Equipment such as a wheelchair or walker is paid separately  by Medicare. Medicare usually pays 80% of the amount they decide is  appropriate. Pathways will arrange for an equipment company to bring  items the doctor has ordered to your home.

A  referral to either of these programs means nurses will provide intense  training to patients and their families or caregivers on how to manage  their condition. Education includes medication reviews, “red flags” to  watch for, and the importance of follow-up visits. This can mean fewer  trips to the hospital.

Pathways has a team of  IV (intravenous) certified nurses to deliver complex IV solutions and  medications to patients in the comfort of their own homes.

Physical,  speech and occupational therapy are all available to patients at  home. This kind of rehabilitation can mean shorter hospital stays and a  safe transition from hospital to home.

Pathways  has certified wound and ostomy nurse specialists that oversee care for  those with conditions such as wounds that won’t heal, infections in  surgical incisions, and new ostomies.