Risk Management: Home Health Care Edition
Robust risk management should be a priority for any home health care organization. With caregivers working in patients’ homes and often across state lines, agencies operate in a unique environment with stringent compliance requirements, seasonal hiring patterns, and clinical and non-clinical hazards. The risks within the industry are unique and can be unpredictable, which means agencies need personalized solutions and support to reduce and effectively manage them.
The Unique Risks of Home Health Care
Uncontrolled and Unpredictable Care Environments
Home health care presents a mix of clinical and operational risks that differ from those in traditional health care settings. Unlike hospitals, clinics, or traditional workplaces, home health caregivers perform their duties in patients’ homes, which presents unique risks, including tripping hazards, biological hazards, poor lighting, or structural damage. Because caregivers have a limited amount of control over these environments, they must heavily rely on preparation and training.
High Workers’ Compensation Exposure
Home health aides experience some of the highest injury rates in the health care industry. Common claims include:
- Musculoskeletal injuries from lifting or repositioning patients
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Needlestick or sharps injuries
- Injuries from combative or confused patients
These injuries differ from traditional workplaces, where equipment, staffing, and safety features are more consistent. In home health, the variability of the client and equipment increases both the frequency and severity of injuries or accidents.
High Turnover & Training Gaps
The home health workforce experiences high turnover, which often leads to inconsistent onboarding, inadequate training, and increased risk. When workers join agencies quickly to fill open shifts, training gaps can widen, increasing the risk for the caregiver and the patient. Seasonal employment can also impact employee talent pools and availability.
Best Practices for Prioritizing Safety in Home Health Care
Whether you’re an agency leader or a caregiver, consistent safety habits reduce risks and increase confidence on the job. While there aren’t specific rules or policies that can extend full coverage for all potential accidents or incidents, caregivers can follow industry best practices to help reduce accidents or hazards.
Safety training
To improve overall caregiver and patient safety, employers should provide structured and recurring safety training. Training reinforces best practices, reeducates caregivers on proper procedures, and teaches new skills. The more training employers offer, the greater the skillset and preparedness of their caregivers.
Streamline onboarding
When employers provide an onboarding process that is organized, clear, and robust, caregivers will gain a better introduction to the agency and their role. With a quality onboarding system in place, agencies can reduce time to hire and streamline the onboarding process.
Develop clear procedures
Agencies should have a variety of safety policies and procedures in place so that caregivers know how and when to report incidents or hazards. This documentation will help agencies and caregivers with workers’ compensation claims, accident reports, and more.
Create checklists
There are a variety of hazards within any workplace, but for home health care agencies, caregivers are susceptible to a variety of risks. Remembering all of the hazards to look out for can be confusing and overwhelming. But by creating checklists for caregivers to reference during home visits, agencies can lower the risk of potential accidents or injuries and keep caregivers prepared.
Strengthening Your Agency With a Risk-Focused PEO Partner
Home health care agencies carry tremendous responsibility to deliver quality care while navigating unpredictable environments, changing regulations, and workforce challenges. Partnering with a human resources (HR) partner like Group Management Services (GMS) provides the structure and expertise needed to minimize risk, protect caregivers, and maintain compliance.
With trained staff, proactive safety programs, and a compliant series of risk management policies and procedures, your agency can stay focused on what it does best, providing exceptional care. Learn more about our risk management services here!