Home health care is an emerging sector in the US and offers plenty of opportunities to launch a successful home care agency. There are a few important points you should keep in mind before embarking on starting one, though. First and foremost, US healthcare regulations are very stringent; therefore starting an agency requires extensive paperwork and compliance with state regulations.
Legal requirements for home health care businesses differ by state, but the key element to legality is licensing. This license depends on whether your business offers nonskilled care for private pay or skilled nursing services covered by Medicare or private insurers, the type of service being offered and frequency; as well as any kind of license requirements specific to each type of license required. Getting licensed can take months or even years depending on where your business model fits in with local legislation and what license type is needed for that specific license type.
Before applying for a license, it is imperative that you create a business plan. This should include an executive summary, company mission and goals statement and detailed financial plan including cash flow projection, balance sheet snapshot and breakeven analysis. In addition, an operational plan detailing your management structure, office space requirements and supplies necessary should also be created.
As part of your business plan, one important consideration should be defining your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Your USP should define what sets your home health care agency apart from competitors and attracts clients – it could be anything from expertise in certain areas or patient care approaches to any other factors that differentiates you from the pack.
Once your business plan and caregiver team are in place, the next step should be finding clients. This can be accomplished using various marketing strategies; such as social media promotion to reach potential clients. Listing in Google Business will increase visibility and traffic to your website while additionally listing it with elder care websites such as Nurse Next Door will boost online exposure of your home health care agency.
Referrals from family or friends who have used home health care services is also helpful; community organizations such as senior centers or churches may have some suggestions as well.