Home health is a service provided to people who are recovering, disabled or suffering from chronic illnesses. It provides treatment to help the patient function in a home environment. Home health offers a wide range of health and social services delivered at home, whether medical, nursing, social or therapeutic treatments. Thanks to many advances in technology and medical equipment, home health allows patients to receive treatment at home rather than a hospital visit or stay in a long-term care facility. A patient who chooses to receive health care at home feels that it provides them with a sense of independence and comfort. Home Health Services All types of homebound patients expect infrequent or relatively short absences that require considerable and taxing effort. These patients are generally recovering, disabled and chronically or terminally ill. For a patient to receive home care, they will need a patient referral, which may come from various departments, such as hospital discharge planners, patients, patients' doctors, health care companies. insurance through their case management programs, PPOs and HMOs. Home health care offers its patients many different specialized services and has home health aides provided by qualified nursing agencies to provide these services. These specialized services range from physiotherapy to meals on wheels. The physiotherapist establishes a home exercise and maintenance program for the patient. Occupational therapists help the patient become independent in self-care tasks. Speech therapists teach proper swallowing, word formation, and word enunciation techniques. Medical-social services help patients and their family members cope with illness...... middle of paper ......e their patients and balance quality of care with efficiency and the cost-saving measures required by the new payment method. Home health care agencies will need to stay abreast of proposed policy changes. I think home health care is a great option for patients who still want to be independent and can do it from home. They continue to receive the quality care they need, provided by qualified workers, in the privacy of their homes. This option is also cost-effective and provides jobs for home health aides and people with experience in specialized fields. HIM home health positions require knowledge of finance, quality improvement, utilization review, and information systems. As HIM evolves, I believe home health care will open up more positions for HIM employees. HIM professionals can contribute greatly to future planning of home care activities.