Initial Assessment Home Visit and Start of Care
Requires an initial assessment, including a home visit, for every patient before services start; sets the time frames (the Agency’s own start-of-care time frame, the 48-hour federal initial assessment visit if the Agency is Medicare-certified, and the 72-hour RN visit and 24-hour start of DC Medicaid personal care aide services); and sets out who conducts the visit, what it covers, the decision to admit, and what happens when a visit is delayed.
About this policy
- Policy number
- DC-HH-ADM-02
- Version
- 1.0
- Main rule
- 22-B DCMR §3908.6
- Library
- Washington, DC home health · 58 policies
- Category
- Service delivery
- Sections
- 19
In short
- A registered nurse (or therapist for therapy-only care) visits every new patient at home before any service starts.
- The first visit happens within 48 hours of receiving the referral, or sooner if a federal or DC Medicaid time frame applies.
- DC Medicaid personal care: the nurse visits within 72 hours of the DHCF referral, care starts within 24 hours of the plan of care, and the nurse returns within 48 hours.
- At the visit, give the rights, admission papers, and advance directive information before any care, and check that the home is safe.
- If the first visit will be late, tell the supervising nurse right away.
What's inside
19 sections. The full text comes with the One-time Policy Pack.
- Terms of Reference
- 1. Purpose
- 2. Scope
- 3. Definitions
- 4. Policy Statement (22-B DCMR §3908.6)
- 5. Time Frames for the First Visit and the Start of Care
- 6. Preparing for the Visit
- 7. Who Conducts the Visit
- 8. What the Initial Assessment Covers
- 9. The Decision to Admit
- 10. Starting Care
- 11. When a Visit or Start of Care Is Delayed
- 12. Responsibilities
- 13. Records and Compliance Monitoring
- 14. Staff Training
- 15. References
- 16. Related Policies and Forms
- 17. Approval
- 18. Revision History
An inspector may ask
- When did you receive this referral, and when did the initial assessment visit take place?
- Who conducted the initial visit, and what did it cover?
See Cura Core with your agency's name on it.
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