There is a lot of confusion when it comes to how home care agencies in the State of Florida are regulated. This is a conversation that normally elicits a lot of passion as it tends to happen when family members have not received the care that they were promised or deserve. Even though family members are usually told to look for licensed and regulated home care agencies in Florida, the truth of the matter is that not many families understand how these home care agencies are regulated. In this article, we look at how home care agencies in Florida are regulated and licensed. This way, you are more likely to find the right home care agency for your loved one.
How Certification Works
One of the factors that create a lot of confusion when it comes to the certification and licensing of home care agencies is the fact that it is done at state level and not at federal level. This means that the rules change depending on which state you are in. When it comes to how Florida regulates home care agencies, here is what you need to know.
Home Health Agencies
The first type of home care agency that is recognized in the State of Florida is a home health agency. These agencies are very high standards. They are required to maintain offices, have complete medical records of all their patients and use very specific procedures when treating patients. It is important to note however that even with these regulations, you must also do your due diligence when it comes to choosing a home health agency. This is because the regulations only provide some baseline protection for patients. You must find a home health agency that is willing to go above and beyond these regulations in order to give their patients the best care possible.
Homemaker and Companion Services
Unlike home health agencies, these health care providers are not licensed by the state of Florida. Rather, they are registered by the state to provide companion and homemaker services. In order to distinguish them from others, their registration numbers often start with the prefix HCS and are typically six digits long.
Registries
These are also registered home care p[providers and can sometimes be referred to as nurse registries. This is reflected in their registration numbers which typically have the prefix NR. This is followed by an eight-digit number. They are able to provide different kinds of home care services including specialist care where needed. This could include physiotherapy support and much more. Sometimes, these care providers work alongside the general care providers to ensure that the patient gets the all-rounded care that they need.
Independent Caregivers
These are usually independent individuals who may be registered nurses or other types of care givers. Depending on their qualifications, they may be able to provide specialist health care for patients at home or in assisted living communities.
Understand the limits of care that all these providers is useful when you are looking for home care services for your loved one. In case your loved one needs specialist care, you may find yourself working with a combination of two or more of these care givers.
