Here is a list of commonly used Terms in Home Health and Home Care to help navigate the Use of Our System.
A
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Personal care tasks that help seniors engage in routine activities, such as using the toilet, bathing, dressing, eating, cooking, and moving around within their home.
C
Caregiver Job Description
A caregiver job description provides a summary of the key tasks, duties, and responsibilities expected of a caregiver. It typically includes assisting with personal care, administering medication, providing companionship, and aiding with daily tasks.
Care Plan (or Plan of Care)
Care plans include tasks and goals to help caregivers provide the best physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing care. This document describes the home care services or employee services, goals, outcomes and includes additional information such as other tasks and Back up staffing plan.
Companion Care
Companion care, or companionship, provides seniors with non-medical support, including emotional support, friendship, and socialization. Common activities include conversation, mental stimulation (playing games, going for a walk, listening to music), meal prep, laundry and light housekeeping, grocery shopping and errands, transportation to appointments and social events, and reminders for hygiene and grooming.
E
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is a technology that confirms service visits in homes or communities, ensuring services are accurately provided and billed. The 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 mandated EVV, with states choosing their implementation model: Provider Choice, MCO Choice, State Choice, or Open Vendor.
EHR
An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. EHRs are secure, real-time records that make information such as medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunizations, allergies, test results, and more available instantly. EHRs are designed to share information with other health care providers, such as laboratories and specialists, so that important care information can be shared with all providers involved in the patient’s care.
Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR)
eMAR a digital version of the traditional paper medication administration record used in healthcare settings. It's a software solution that helps track and manage medication administration for patients.
EMR
An electronic medical record (EMR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart and contains the medical and treatment history of patients at one agency. The difference between an EMR and an EHR is the accessibility of the patient’s information by other health care providers. EMRs are usually housed within one system and unable to “travel” to other EMR systems.
Employee Onboarding
A sharable URL that initiates an Employee Profile from a candidate applying for a position within your company.
An Electronic Treatment Administration Record (eTAR)
eTAR is a digital record used in healthcare to track the administration of treatments to patients, similar to how Electronic Medication Administration Records (eMAR) track medications. It replaces traditional paper-based treatment records and helps ensure safe and accurate treatment delivery.
EVV Training
EVV training is a term used to describe the learning process associated with Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) systems. It involves teaching users how to effectively operate the EVV system, which is a tool used for electronically recording and confirming service delivery details.
F
Face to Face Encounter
The initial (Start of Care) certification must include documentation that an allowed physician or non-physician practitioner (NPP) had a face-to-face (FTF) encounter with the patient. The FTF encounter must be related to the primary reason for the home care admission. This requirement is a condition of payment. Without a complete initial certification, there cannot be subsequent episodes. Claims may be denied if the FTF documentation is not complete. The FTF encounter must occur within 90 days prior to the Start of Care (SOC) or 30 days after the SOC.
Flowsheet
In nursing, a flowsheet is a standardized form used to document a patient's ongoing condition and care over time. It allows nurses to track specific data points, like vital signs, medication administration, and other observations, in a concise and easily readable format. This provides a clear and chronological overview of a patient's progress and helps with communication among the healthcare team.
H
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA)
HIPAA is a federal law designed to protect patients’ medical records and other health information that is provided to health plans, doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers. Developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, these new standards give patients access to their medical records and more control over how their personal health information is used and disclosed.
Home Care Leads
Home care leads refer to potential clients who are in need of home care services. These leads are individuals who have expressed interest in or have been identified as potential candidates for home care services based on their age, medical condition, or other factors that suggest a need for assistance with daily activities.
Home Care Scheduling Software
Home Care scheduling software assists non-medical care providers with scheduling, billing, record keeping, visit verification, and inter-agency communication.
Home Health Billing Software
Home health billing software allows home care agencies to keep track of the services they provide to clients and the payments they receive for those services. It helps to simplify the billing process, reduce errors, and ensure that the home care agency is paid promptly and accurately for the care they provide.
Home Health Care
Home Health Care is medical care provided in the home by a skilled medical professional. Examples of home health care include skilled nursing care, physical, occupational, and speech therapies.
I
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
IADL stands for Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. They are more complex tasks that are essential for independent living, going beyond the basic self-care activities (ADLs). Examples include cooking, shopping, managing finances, and using transportation
L
Live-In Caregiver
A Caregiver that Lives at the same Residence as the Client.
Long-Term Care Insurance
Coverage that helps policyholders pay for long-term care in their home or an assisted living facility.
M
Medicaid
The United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources. States and the U.S. government share the cost of Medicaid, with states administering the program according to federal requirements.
Medicare
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 or older. People younger than age 65 with certain disabilities, permanent kidney failure, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), may also be eligible for Medicare.
N
National Caregivers Day
Observed annually on the third Friday of February, National Caregivers Day honors caregivers for their dedication to providing essential care. This day raises awareness about caregivers’ challenges and encourages gratitude, advocacy, and support for their vital role.
Non-Medical Home Care
Non-medical home care refers to support at home that does not involve medical skills; services include light housekeeping, running errands, or offering pleasant companionship.
P
Patient Onboarding
A sharable URL or a page in Billiyo Web Portal that initiates a Prospective Client's Profile.
Personal Care
Personal care, at its core, involves assistance with day-to-day activities to support an individual’s health and well-being, especially in a home care setting. This includes, but is not limited to, bathing, dressing, grooming, and feeding – essentially any support that aids in maintaining a person’s dignity, comfort, and quality of life.
Personal Care Software
Personal care software is a type of computer program designed to help individuals or home care agencies manage personal care services for clients or patients. This software typically includes a range of features that help with scheduling, record-keeping, billing, and communication between caregivers and clients.
Person-Centered Care (PCC)
Person-centered care is a practice in which patients actively participate in their own medical treatment in close cooperation with their health professionals.
Point of Care
Point of care (POC) refers to the provision of medical care or diagnostic testing immediately at the time and location of patient care. This encompasses a broad range of healthcare services, including diagnostic tests, treatments, and patient monitoring provided by healthcare professionals directly where patients receive care, such as at the bedside or in the examination room.
Point of Care Documentation
Point of care documentation (POC) is a process in which providers document patient or client care activities in real-time at the bedside or point of care using electronic health record (EHR) systems, mobile devices, or paper-based documentation tools.
Point of Care Software
Point of Care (POC) software refers to the technology systems that enable healthcare professionals to provide medical care services and capture patient data in real-time at the patient’s home.
Private Duty Care
Unlike traditional in-home care services, private duty nurses provide one-on-one skilled medical care. They are qualified to offer this care in the comfort of the patient’s own home, or in a facility such as a hospital or nursing home. Private duty nurses are Registered Nurses (RNs) or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs).
Private Home Care
Private home care is a term that describes a variety of services delivered by trained caregivers or nurses at a person’s home. These services can encompass medical care, personal care, and companionship tasks.
T
Telehealth
Telehealth refers to the remote delivery of care using technology such as landline, mobile phones, and the internet. Remote monitoring of a patient’s situation combined with teleconferencing (when appropriate) allows the patient to remain in the comfort of their own home, saving them the stress of unnecessary travel.