Unlike other industries, where policies and procedure manuals are an option. Home health & home care agencies must have a Policies & Procedures Manual to operate the agency efficiently. Most agencies will need 2-4 manuals to guide and direct the success of the agency or they could be headed for failure in business if they don’t have manuals. There are various required manuals such as the QMP or QAPI manual, which is what an agency needs to set goals, create performance improvement projects for the year, and to evaluate if your agency is headed in the right direction toward success and prosperity. Your QMP or QAPI manual should contain your annual agency survey questionnaire to send out to your clients, referral sources, staff, and physicians.
So, what types of manuals do you need for your agency? It depends on your state and local laws and regulations. It also depends on if you are a medical agency, Medicare Provider agency, or homecare/personal care agency.
Here is a list of manuals you can purchase without the worries of creating policies yourself for your agency. Creating policies and procedures takes educational skills and knowledge to put information together that is acceptable to state and federal surveyors.
The main manual any agency should purchase is a Policy & Procedure Manual. Policies on Administration, Human Resources, Patient Care, Infection Control, Leadership, Job descriptions, various forms, and more are located in a General Medical (Home Health) or Non-medical policy & procedure (Home Care/Personal Care) manual.
HCBS (Home Community-Based Services)- this manual is for non-medical agencies that have Medicaid waiver services. Medicaid waiver regulations on providing quality care are also located in this manual.
IHSS– In Home Support Services- not all states have this Medicaid waiver program, and if they do it may be under a different service program name.
Emergency Preparedness Plan- What will you, your staff, or your clients do if a disaster affects your agency, your clients, or your staff? Are you prepared? If you are a Medicare or Medicaid Provider, you must have a plan in place and you are required to train your staff to be prepared, as well as your clients.
And again, your QMP or QAPI manual- I will not repeat the information already mentioned.
For more information regarding the manuals Optimal Healthcare Solutions offer, visit Home Health & Homecare Manuals (homehealthtrainer.com) for details on each manual. Or visit my YouTube video https://youtu.be/JYGDQIA3xAs. I will be updating the videos soon.
