Home Health covers a wide variety of services delivered by healthcare professionals to facilitate a return to independence, optimize quality of life, and/or provide the necessary support to ensure a safe rehabilitation.

What services are provided by a home health agency?

• RN
• LPN
• HHA – Home Health Aide
• Companion
• Homemaker
• PT - Physical Therapy
• PTA - Physical Therapy Assistant
• Physical Therapy Aide
• OT - Occupational Therapy
• OTA - Occupational Therapy Assistant
• ST - Speech Therapy
• MSW - Medical Social Worker
• Registered Dietician
• RRT- Registered Respiratory Therapist
• High Tech Nursing Services for Infusion Therapy

Does a patient need to meet homebound criteria for home care services to be delivered?

This is a common Medicaid/Medicare requirement, but is not necessarily applicable for workers compensation patients. A claims adjuster and NCM may advise that homecare is necessary because the patient is unable to leave his/her home safely but an agency may deliver homecare with the appropriate authorization, regardless of whether the patient is determined to be homebound.

What services are considered “high tech” in the home and are provided by a high tech RN or LPN?

The “high tech” designation indicates additional, specialized training in a specific task or treatment. In addition to basic nursing training, a high tech nurse has been trained or certified to deliver specialized care to the patient. Most common services considered “high tech” in the home includes intravenous infusion therapy, wound vac care, ventilator/ respiratory managed care.

What is the difference between PT, PTA, and PT aide?

RPT stands for Registered Physical Therapist. This person holds a Master- or Doctorate-level degree from an accredited program. RPTs are able to perform evaluation assessments and are permitted to make a therapy diagnosis, determine prognosis, design a treatment plan, and provide treatment.

PTA stands for Physical Therapy Assistant. A PTA usually has a 2-year Associate’s degree from an accredited program though not all states require a degree. Some obtain their PTA certification through a vocational training program. PTAs are permitted to treat a patient under the supervision/delegation of a Registered Physical Therapist. They are not permitted to perform initial evaluation assessments or determine treatment plans.

A PT Aide is a person with on-the-job training who can assist with PT treatments under direct supervision only. PT Aides may have certifications from a trade school.

Can an LPN administer IV Infusion Therapy in the home?

State regulations vary regarding scope of practice of an LPN in the home. Some states do permit an LPN to administer intravenous infusions under delegation of an RN though they may limit the types of intravenous access devices through which they are permitted to administer these medications.

MSC’s policy is to utilize only RNs trained and certified in infusion therapy to administer and manage home IV infusion therapy.