Home health care agencies play a valuable role in many lives. They assist with daily tasks and can be essential in receiving medical treatments at home. There are a few steps involved with starting up a home health care agency, including creating a business plan and registering with the state; additionally factoring invoices can provide sufficient financial resources to operate effectively.
Before establishing a home health care agency, it is imperative that a business plan be created which details its structure and operations. This plan will serve both as an essential tool in the growth of your business and an indispensable document when seeking investors or lenders for funding. Your plan should contain: Executive Summary – Provides an overview of your organization and its goals Business Description and Services Offered (Business Description). Marketing and Sales Strategy (Marketing and Sales Strategy). Explain your approach to marketing and how clients will be acquired. Management and Organization Structure – Outline the ownership structure for your home health care agency. Operational Plan – Outline facilities, staffing needs and supplies necessary for running the agency, along with any financial planning considerations such as cash flow projection, balance sheet snapshot or break even analysis.
Home health care agencies are heavily regulated due to the nature of their work and responsibility they owe their patients for providing quality home healthcare. When starting up a home health care agency, it’s crucial that one understands all relevant regulations, such as certifications, insurance requirements and standards set by local, state and federal governments – especially regarding medical home health care agencies that must obtain special certification in order to provide skilled nursing and therapy services.
Non-medical home health care services are less regulated and have less stringent licensing requirements than medical home health agencies, providing in-home support for aging by professional caregivers, home health aides, and certified nurses. Common services offered by non-medical home health care companies include assistance with bathing/dressing assistance, meal preparation assistance, medication reminder services and transportation to doctor’s appointments.
Once a home health care agency has a solid business plan, ideal staff and marketing strategy in place, the next step should be obtaining all required licensing. As licensing processes can differ depending on where your agency is based and application begins; research your location before beginning this step and reaching out to local small business development centers for guidance regarding this step and what lies ahead.