Requirements & Permits for a Home Health Business

Running your own home-based health care business can be very rewarding. You can earn a decent living and get the satisfaction of helping people, and because life expectancy has increased, the demand for home-health care is growing. However, there are many skills required to interact with patients. You need medical experience and an understanding of medical terminology, but your business will also have to meet certain requirements and have specific permits.

Licensing Requirements

• Licensing requirements vary from state to state. Some states require you to be a certified nurse, and a background check is mandatory for any employee you hire. You also need to contact the state to learn how to accept patients' insurance, and Medicare and Medicaid issues need to be addressed. Contact your state's home health agency board for a full description of what requirements are needed to operate your home health agency.

Regulations

• A home health agency is an organization that provides home health, staffing and medical services. Basic medical training will give you the ability to care for patients' needs, including administering medications, changing dressings and feeding patients. Home health business staff must also complete certain training, including courses on modes of transmission, infection control procedure, clinical management, and prevention of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

  All home health agencies must be licensed and accredited by the Health Care Administration in order to operate. This license will expire in two years after its date of issuance; however, if it is suspended or revoked, it will end at that time. The license should be posted in plain view or risk citation.

Procedures

• Before you can obtain a license, you must have a written policy and procedure guide, which includes a policy stating the services to be provided, emergency procedures, administration of drugs, billing procedures, a policy for the provision of personal services by a certified Home Health aide, a written process for equipment maintenance and a policy regulating infection control procedures. In addition to having the policies and procedures in a written format, the agency administrator must have a working knowledge of the policies. Certain other policies, procedures and permits vary from state to state.