PhysioCare Home Health Care
Lori Lindsey-Clarkston, RN
Lakeview College of Nursing 
RN 405
September 10, 2011

PhysioCare Home Health 
The purpose of this essay is to outline the functions and working operations of PhysioCare Home Health Care as related to importance of these areas to managers and leaders within the organization.  PhysioCare Home Health Care was started approximately three years ago by sisters who had a vision of providing healthcare within the community where they reside.  Services offered by the company include skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social work, and nutritional support by a dietician.  The company has expanded rapidly there is a vision for hospice care, ambulatory rehab center, and durable medical equipment supply in the very near future.  
PhysioCare is proudly certified by CHAP, Community Health Accreditation Program, which is required by Medicare in order to operate.  Tertiary services are provided on a short term basis, the goal of the organization is to provide rehabilitative services to patient in the home so that the patient can remain living at home safely.  The mission of PhysioCare states to provide services and guidance to ensure our patients can quickly, safely, and seamlessly transition back to their prior level of functioning, while promoting independence (Physicarehhc.com, 2011).  The mission statement of an organization sets the stage by defining the services offered (Yoder-Wise, 2011).  PhysioCare Home Health Care is a for profit organization that is run by an administrator, co-administrator with department heads that include, registration, finance, human resources, nursing, therapy, and maintenance.  This type of service in-line structure is necessary to produce the intention of home health care to independence of the client in their own environment, by bringing the service of skilled nursing and therapy together, forming the product that is being marketed (Yoder-Wise, 2011).  The funding for services is gained through primarily Medicare and private insurance.  There are limited cases funded through Medicaid and private pay.  It is important for documentation and authorizations to be in place before starting care on individuals in order for reimbursement of services to start.  
In the home base the nurse manager or director of nursing must understand the way services and reimbursement for services work in order to turn a profit for the company.  The director of nursing relies on the nurse case managers to make informed decisions when assessing a patient for start of care into the agency.  Nurse Managers must possess qualities such as knowledge, integrity, ambition, judgment, courage, stamina, enthusiasm, communication skills, planning skills, and administrative abilities (Yoder-Wise, 2011).  In deciding what services a patient may need during the start of care the nurse manger must first decide if the patient is truly homebound and qualifies for services, if this qualification is not met or the patient does not want to comply with home bound status rules the start of care should not be initiated.  If a nurse manager initiates a start of care with knowledge that the patient does not meet criteria for home bound status PhysioCare could be charged with fraud by the payer source.  Knowing the rules of home care is the first step in being an effective case manager for the company.  
Home care companies across the nation are growing due to the number of elderly and handicap individuals desiring home base rehabilitation.  Knowing the rules of home care and working for a company that strives to follow the rules and provide excellence care for patients is the answer to success as a nurse manager in the home care field.  Gaining trust of patients and community leaders, referral sources, and other resources will make a nurse manger successful in the home care industry.  Empowering patients, coworkers, and communities with knowledge of home care purpose, rules, and outcomes will make a home care company grow and expand rapidly and with dignity.  

References
Yoder-Wise, P. S. (Ed.). (2011). Lead and managing in nursing (5th ed.). St. Lous, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
PhysioCare Home Health Care Home Page, About Us and Services sections 2011.  Retrieved September 11, 2011 from http://www.physiocarehhc.com/home.html.