In-Home Nursing Services & Home Health Care
VNSHS Registered Nurses are specially trained to treat and manage pressure sores, wounds, skin care related to incontinence, and any type of Ostomy (Colostomy, Ileostomy, Urostomy). Our highly skilled Wound Specialist nurse provides consultation on complex enterostomal therapy and complex wound care cases. Our VNSHS Wound Specialist critically assesses post-surgical, vascular, and traumatic injury wounds for complications in the healing process and collaborates with the patient’s physician to implement wound care for appropriate and faster healing.
Registered Nurses
Under your physician’s orders, VNSHS skilled Registered Nurses (RN) make an initial assessment visit to develop an individualized care plan specific to your needs. There is no fee for the initial assessment. Our RNs are qualified to assist you with home health care needs, including disease management and treatment, administering medication and dressing wounds. To help maintain independence, patients and their caregivers are offered guidance and training on how to participate in patient care.
VNSHS offers extensive rehabilitative therapy including outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy, reimbursed under the Part B Medicare benefit. The advantage of VNSHS is that our therapy staff will see a patient in their home rather than a clinic or office. Our therapy staff is also trained to assess a patients vitals including including blood pressure, heart rate, respirations, temperature, and oxygen saturation to ensure patient is medically stable to participate in therapeutic activities. The therapy team coordinates findings with your physicians should higher level of care be needed.
Physical Therapy
VNSHS Physical Therapists (PT) provide rehabilitation to restore and improve mobility, as well as perform home safety evaluations to ensure a safe home environment. Registered PTs provide direct care and teach patients and their caregivers how to perform strengthening exercises on their own.
VNSHS offers extensive rehabilitative therapy including outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy, reimbursed under the Part B Medicare benefit. The advantage of VNSHS is that our therapy staff will see a patient in their home rather than a clinic or office. Our therapy staff is also trained to assess a patients vitals including including blood pressure, heart rate, respirations, temperature, and oxygen saturation to ensure patient is medically stable to participate in therapeutic activities. The therapy team coordinates findings with your physicians should higher level of care be needed.
Occupational Therapy
VNSHS Occupational Therapists (OT) treat injured, ill or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. Registered OTs help patients develop, recover, improve, as well as maintain the skills needed for daily living and working.
VNSHS offers extensive rehabilitative therapy including outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy, reimbursed under the Part B Medicare benefit. The advantage of VNSHS is that our therapy staff will see a patient in their home rather than a clinic or office. Our therapy staff is also trained to assess a patients vitals including including blood pressure, heart rate, respirations, temperature, and oxygen saturation to ensure patient is medically stable to participate in therapeutic activities. The therapy team coordinates findings with your physicians should higher level of care be needed.
Speech Therapy
VNSHS Speech Therapists assist patients with problems in eating and speaking. The changes could occur related to various illnesses such as a stroke, heart attack, Parkinson’s disease, neurological issues or if there are injuries to the head and neck. The therapist will assess all of the mechanisms related to swallowing and determine if the change can be corrected or if there is a need to alter what kinds of solid and liquid foods are most appropriate. When the ability to communicate is disrupted, our Speech Therapists design a program for language retraining.
Medical Social Work
VNSHS Licensed Social Workers (LSW) provide professional counseling to help patients and their families cope with the stress that arises from illness or accident, as well as applying for Medicaid. Our LSWs provide psychosocial support, a broad term covering the personal, emotional, financial and social issues that a patient and family may encounter during illness.
Home Health Aide Care
VNSHS Certified Home Health Aides are covered by insurance and available to provide personal care while a patient is receiving skilled services. Under the direction of a skilled clinician, aides assist with everyday activities such as bathing, dressing, preparing meals and home management.
Our Home Health Aides are New York State Certified and supervised regularly by a Registered Nurse. All services are provided by VNSHS employees, not outsourced to another provider, with the participation of the patient’s Primary Physician. We work with you to create a plan that will help you to remain as independent as possible in your home.
Should a patient or family want to continue with Certified Home Health Aide care after a patient is discharged from our skilled services, VNSHS offers a private pay solution through our Caring Hearts program.
Wound Care and Enterostomal Therapy
VNSHS Registered Nurses are specially trained to treat and manage pressure sores, wounds, skin care related to incontinence and any type of Ostomy (Colostomy, Ileostomy, Urostomy) . Our highly skilled Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse (WOCN) provides consultation on complex enterostomal therapy and wound care cases. Our VNSHS WOCN critically assesses post-surgical, vascular and traumatic injury wounds for complications in the healing process and collaborates with the patient’s physician to implement wound care.
Nutritional Counseling and Diabetic Education
VNSHS nutritional counseling and diabetic education is a critical component of patient care. Although the Registered Dietitian (R.D.N.) position is not mandated of home health care agencies, VNSHS has a full time R.D.N. to collaborate with nurses and physicians to develop a plan of care for nutritional counseling based on the assessment of the patient’s needs and the effectiveness of a medically prescribed diet. Our R.D.N. provides medical nutrition therapy to patients and families regarding prescribed nutrition regimens to meet nutritional requirements. Patients on enteral feedings are referred to the R.D.N. for assessment and adequacy of tube feeding to meet nutritional and hydration requirements. As a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (C.D.C.E.S.), our R.D.N. also teaches patients diabetes self management
Telehealth Virtual Visits
Telehealth is a program that allows VNSHS to continuously monitor patient vitals and symptoms remotely. We provide home care patients with unique care plans and state-of-the-art technology that allow patients to have a “virtual visit” with a VNSHS clinician to monitor and manage their healthcare, safely and easily from the comfort of their own home. Telehealth has helped patients reduce their chances of hospital readmission and emergency room visits while providing patients and families with peace of mind.
What are the benefits of telehealth?
- Allows patients and caregiver partnership in the plan of care to improve outcomes
- Encourages patient self-management by reinforcing positive behavior and lifestyle changes
- Gives concerned family members peace of mind that a professional clinician is monitoring the patient daily and communicating important information to the physician
Telehealth monitoring allows patients to:
- Measure and track weight, blood pressure, heart rate, glucose and SpO2
- Inform their clinicians of symptoms through a daily survey
- Learn about their disease condition and how to manage it
- Track their medication adherence and progress
- Communicate with their clinician via text, phone or video chat
Telehealth monitoring allows clinicians to:
- Monitor a patient’s vitals in real time
- Respond to high risk readings that could lead to a hospital readmission
- Track a patient’s medication adherence
- Conduct nursing assessments through wound imaging technology
- Supplement education through videos and quizzes
- Communicate with their patients via text, phone, or video chat
What is the cost to the patient?
- Patients with Medicare, Medicaid or other third-party payers will be monitored at no cost to the patient
- Telehealth services may also be paid for privately when Medicare, Medicaid and insurance coverage ends
Medical Transportation
A VNSHS Certified Home Health Aide is available to provide transportation to and from the patient’s home to their medical appointments if they require transportation. This a private pay solution provided to patients who receive or have received our skilled services.