Agency’s Choices for Care Program Recertified and Cited for Excellence

Regulators from the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living routinely conduct reviews of providers in the Choices for Care program to ensure that people receive the highest quality services and that all compliances are met. In a rigorous review recently, Franklin County Home Health Agency not only met all the compliance criteria, our services were praised for thoroughness and cited as a model for other home health care agencies and recertified for the next three years.

The reviewers checked several client records selected at random, visiting or calling all of the clients. They also reviewed Case Manager personnel and training records and many policies, procedures and other documents. In her recertification letter, Karen Graham, Quality and Program Specialist, said, “We found many areas of excellence at Franklin County Home Health and found the agency to be in compliance with all areas of the Case Management Standards. In particular I want to note that all the consumers I spoke to had only high praise for the case management staff at Franklin County Home Health.”

Areas of excellence they cited included: knowledge of clients’ needs and excellent follow-through to meet these identified needs; very complete policies and documentation tools that can be used as models for other organizations. They particularly liked that we highly integrate the Choices for Care Program with home care and hospice programs, making a positive impact on communications and care.