Address the Challenges in your Home Health Care Agency

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Home Health Care StaffingWe’ve been caring for each other in our homes for centuries.  It has only really been in the last 40 years that nursing homes became a standard form of care for most aged and incapacitated persons.  In fact, before the nineteenth century, no age-restricted facilities even existed for long-term care.

Our homes give us comfort.  So, as we age, we would like to remain.  Because of this the home health care industry is booming.  Other reasons for this growth include:

  • We are living longer, but with more chronic, complex conditions.
  • We want to age “in a place with dignity”, and nursing homes suffer from a bad reputation.
  • We are discharged from hospitals earlier
  • Technology has advanced to the point that highly complicated devices – previously only found in hospitals – can now reside in our living rooms and bedrooms.

However, the home healthcare industry is facing some challenges, due in part to shrinking Medicare reimbursement rates, policies that are forcing many patients away from hospitals, staffing concerns and the lack of familiarity and self-efficacy among patients to use key home health care technology.    

By 2030, it is estimated 72 million people – 1/5 of the population – will be 65 or older. This is up from about 40 million in 2009.    When polled by the AARP, 90% of people over the age of 55 stated they wanted to stay in their homes.  Two-thirds of those over the age of 65 stated they would learn to use home health care technology if they could stay home longer.

This means that the biggest challenge today for home health care agencies – one they have the most control over – will be finding qualified, competent staff to help these people.  However, good help is hard to find. The demand for capable individuals is already far above supply and will continue to lag behind growth for the next couple of years.

There are an estimated 1.3 million home health aides currently in the process of entering the job marketplace and 50% growth is expected on top of that figure by 2018.  However, that does not mean that all these candidates are qualified.  There are many training programs that are not recognized and do not adequately train home health care workers.  This impacts both the quality and distribution of top healthcare workers.

So whereas you might have more potential applicants to help fill open jobs, you may not have the level of talent you need to meet your patients’ needs.

This is where Snelling Medical Professionals can help.  Our local market knowledge, combined with your centralized recruiting efforts combine to find you the medical personnel you need – people that are already in your own backyard.

So locate your local Snelling Medical Professionals office todasy, and let us work today to learn your needs, your culture and your business model in order to find the best-fit staff member for your business today.

By Christiane Soto,