Home health care is provided in a variety of ways by a wide range of health care professionals in Minnesota. For those without health insurance, the state offers Home Care, which provides home health services at a reduced cost. It's not easy to choose a home health care provider, so take the time to read about different facilities and talk to the patient to make the best decision for everyone involved.
Types
Assisted living and hospice care are two types of home health care in Minnesota. An assisted living center provides independent senior living, social activities, meals, housekeeping and home health aide services. According to the Minnesota Home Care Association, hospice care "offers medical and other support services to help the dying person remain at home with family." Hospice is centered on palliative care--pain management--and keeping the patient comfortable. Hospice workers support the family in caring for the patient, train family members in providing medical care and provide emotional support.
Agency and Individual Licenses
Four types of licenses are offered by the Minnesota Department of Health: Class, A, B, C and F. Classes A and B are for agencies. Class A is for an agency that provides "nursing-home-level care" in the form of medication, bathing, mobility, catheter care and tube feedings, to name a few. These workers are supervised by a registered nurse and the Department of Health. Class B offers a slightly less skilled level of care and has no registered nurse supervision. Class C is a license for a self-employed individual--also known as a paraprofessional--who provides in-home care as a home health aide. Class F is the license that the state requires Assisted Living Centers to have.
Home Care Services
Home care services are funded by the state and provide short- or long-term care to patients who receive Medical Assistance or Minnesota's Minnesota Care Expanded. The funding provides medical equipment, a home health aide, skilled nursing visits, private duty nursing, therapies and a personal care assistant.
Health Care Homes
Health care homes are not based in the home, but function along the same guiding principles of quality of life and community and family involvement. A health care home is also called a medical home. It is in the office of a patient's primary care physician, but rather than a one-on-one, doctor-patient relationship, health care homes develop teams of nurses, medical managers, physician assistants and doctors to provide care. Record-keeping is electronic. The team includes the patient's family in the patient's care. Minnesota has 11 health care homes, but hopes to have 150 certified clinics by the end of 2011.
Filing a Complaint
If you need to file a complaint about a home health care provider, licensed or not, contact the Office of Health Facility Complaints (OHFC). Document as much as possible about the situation you witnessed. Complaints can be made anonymously, but it is helpful for OHFC to be able to contact you in order to follow up.
