Home care policies and procedures: questions, answered

It depends on your state. Your state’s licensing rules say when written policies are expected. Check them; homecarelicenseguide.com, also published by Home Care Agency Blueprint, collects each state’s sources.

You can, but treat it as a starting draft. Rewrite each policy to match your state’s rules and how your agency actually works, date it and train staff on it.

It depends. HHS says HIPAA applies to covered entities and business associates, and a provider is a covered entity only if it transmits health information electronically in connection with certain standard transactions, such as billing a health plan. Decide with counsel.

We know of no length rule we can cite. A manual should be as long as it takes to describe how your agency works and what your state’s rules ask for.

Check your state’s rules for any set review cycle. Beyond that, update a policy whenever a rule or your process changes, and put a review date on every policy.

Caregivers need to be able to reach the policies that apply to their work. One approach is a caregiver handbook plus the full manual kept where staff can find it. Check whether your state asks for anything specific.

Do not assume so. Licensing agencies differ in what they check and when. Keep your manual current with your state’s rules after you open.

Skilled or Medicare-certified home health has separate federal rules (42 CFR Part 484). This site covers non-medical home care.

No. For caregiver training, see homecaretrainingprograms.com; for hiring, homecarerecruitmentguide.com. Both are also published by Home Care Agency Blueprint.

Home Care Agency Blueprint, which sells courses and coaching to people starting home care agencies. We say so on every page so you can weigh our perspective.