Home care is a service provided to people who are convalescing, disabled or chronically ill. Provides treatment to help the patient function in a home environment. Home Health offers a wide range of health and social services delivered at home, whether medical, nursing, social or therapeutic care. With numerous advances in medical technology and equipment, home care allows patients to receive care at home instead of a hospital visit or stay in a long-term care facility. A patient who chooses to receive home health services feels that it gives them a sense of independence and comfort. Home health services: All types of patients who are homebound, confined to their homes, expect infrequent or relatively short absences that require considerable and strenuous effort. These patients are usually recovering, disabled, and chronically or terminally ill. For a patient to be considered for home care, they will need a patient referral, which can come from a variety of services, such as hospital discharge planners, patients, patients' doctors, insurance companies through their case management, PPO and HMO programs. Home health care provides patients with many different specialty services and has home health aides provided by skilled nursing agencies to provide these services. These specialized services range from physical therapy to meals on wheels. The physical therapist establishes a home exercise and maintenance program for the patient. Occupational therapists help the patient become independent with personal care tasks. Speech pathologists teach correct swallowing techniques, word formation, and enunciation of words. Medical social services help the patient and their family members cope with the disease... middle of paper ......and their patients and balance the quality of care with the efficiency and cost-saving measures required from the new payment method. Home health agencies will need to stay abreast of proposed policy changes. I think home healthcare is an excellent option for patients who still want to be independent and can do it from home. They continue to provide them with the quality care they need from trained workers in the privacy of their own homes. This option is also cost-effective and provides jobs for home health aides and people who have experience in specialty areas. HIM home health care positions require knowledge of finance, quality improvement, utilization review, and information systems, and as HIM evolves, I think home health care will open up more positions for HIM employees. HIM professionals can contribute greatly to future home care business planning.