Services offered by northwest Indiana home health agencies provide an alternative for the area's sick who would otherwise be confined to a hospital or hospice. Home health care workers help the disabled and elderly of northwest Indiana thrive in familiar surroundings. Home health agencies also lessen the patient burden on area hospitals. Because they provide medical services comparable to those received at hospitals and hospices, these agencies are certifiable by state insurers.
Services
Northwest Indiana home health agencies provide acute skilled medical services that include wound care, electrocardiograms, immunizations, gastrostomy and tracheostomy tube changes, catheter care, IV management, diabetic care, pulse oximetries, blood testing, infusion therapy, psychiatry and cancer treatment services.
Caregivers
Northwest Indiana home health agencies send out caregivers according to the kind of care clients require. Caregivers include medical social workers, home health aides, registered dietitians, licensed practical nurses, licensed vocational nurses, registered nurses, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and even physicians.
Insurance
Because of the quality of skilled medical care provided, most northwest Indiana home health care agencies are Medicare certified. Facilities that accept Medicare also tend to accept Medicaid and private pay. Other accepted insurers are Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Harmony/Wellcare, Advocate, Health Spring of Illinois, Tricare/Champus, Humana, Unicare, Homelink and Campus Care (UIC).
Accreditation
Many northwest Indiana home health care agencies are accredited by associations that ensure a standard of care on a continually evaluated basis. The Visiting Nurse Association of the LaPorte Regional Healthcare System and Maximum Home Health Care Inc. are both accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Maxim Healthcare Services, responsible for Maxim Homecare is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care. Addus HealthCare of Indiana is regulated by the Indiana Association for Home Care.
Conditions
Northwest Indiana home health agencies send out clinicians and practitioners who care for a wide range of debilitating ailments and chronic diseases. Some of these are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, fibromyalgia, arthritis, hypertension, edema, amputations, congestive heart failure, spinal cord injuries, coronary artery disease, bowel and urinary incontinence, orthopedic injuries, pressure ulcers, stasis ulcers, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, dementia, neurological disorders, angina and Parkinson's disease.
HIPAA
To be Medicare certified, northwest Indiana home health care agencies are required by federal law to maintain compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules. To this end, many agencies have Web pages that display the organization's notice of privacy practices. This notice is meant to explain to consumers how their private health information may be used or shared with other parties.
Locations
Some northwest Indiana home health agencies are Maximum Home Health, Addus Healthcare, Holistic Home Care Physicians, Amedisys, Maxim Home Care and LaPorte Regional Health System Homecare.
