Welcome to the first ever blog entry from Western Health HomeCare. My name is Sue Ostrowski and I am the director of our wonderful San Diego based Home Health and Home Care agency. Each week I will be blogging about the “in’s” n “out’s” of healthcare – educating you, my amazing readers, how you can navigate this crazy industry and manage your family’s health with ease.
First and foremost some of you may be wondering, “What is Home Health?” Most people have no idea what this service entails or believe that it is used only for elderly people in need of help with tasks around the house. That service is actually described in our industry as Home Care or Private Duty Care. Home Health is a little different…Home Health is available to anyone who has a health insurance plan. Any plan works: HMO, PPO, Medicare and even Medicaid (MediCal in CA). Certain stipulations may apply, like the number of visits you may receive. This is all dependent on each individual’s insurance plan. Home Health is typically used when a person is discharged from a hospital, nursing facility, or when a doctor feels that it is needed after an office visit, home MD visit, or after an outpatient procedure. Home Health must always be prescribed by a doctor. A doctor will send a Home Health agency (like Western Health) an ‘order’ and then we will send a qualified person to your house to deliver the care you need. This can include RN, LVN, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Home Health Aide (assistance with bathing and dressing), or Social Work services. Our patients usually receive 1 – 3 visits per week to make sure that you are recovering from your situation and can become as independent as possible.
Home Health is a great service to take advantage of because it allows you to heal in the comfort of your own home. If you feel that you have a need for Home Health or know someone who can benefit please call our agency at (619) 397-7800 or email us at [email protected].
Next time I will explain how you can request Home Health care from your doctor.
-Sue