Your First Home Health Visit: What Actually Happens

You got a call saying someone from the home health agency is coming to evaluate you tomorrow. What exactly is going to happen?

I've done thousands of these initial visits over my career. Let me walk you through it so you're not caught off guard.

Before I Even Arrive

After the agency gets your referral, someone calls to schedule. They verify your insurance, confirm your address, and ask basic questions about your condition.

They might ask about the best time to come, whether you have pets, if there are mobility issues getting to the door, that kind of thing.

When I Show Up

I'll introduce myself and show you my ID badge. I'm wearing scrubs, carrying a bag with supplies, and I have paperwork.

Expect the visit to take about an hour, sometimes longer if your situation is complicated. It's the longest visit you'll have - after this, regular visits are typically 30-45 minutes.

The Health Assessment

Most of the visit is me gathering information and assessing your condition.

I'll ask about why you need home health - your diagnosis, recent hospitalization, surgery, whatever brought you here. I'll want to understand your medical history, current symptoms, and how you've been doing.

I'll take vital signs: blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, maybe oxygen level. I'll listen to your heart and lungs. I'll look at any wounds or surgical sites. I'll assess your mobility, balance, and fall risk.

If you have diabetes, I might check your blood sugar. If you have swelling, I'll look at that. The specifics depend on your situation.

This is not a cursory once-over. I'm doing a real head-to-toe assessment.

The Medication Review

Bring all your medications to wherever we're sitting. Not a list - the actual bottles.

I'm going to go through every single one: prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements, vitamins, everything.

I'm checking for duplicates, interactions, medications you might have stopped that are still sitting in your cabinet, and confusion about what to take when. Medication errors are incredibly common, especially after hospital stays when prescriptions often change.

This might take 15-20 minutes just by itself.

Looking at Your Home

I'll walk through the main areas - living room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen - not to judge your housekeeping but to assess safety.

Are there tripping hazards? Is the bathroom set up safely? Where will you be spending most of your time? Is there good lighting? Are there stairs?

I might make recommendations: move that rug, add a nightlight here, you might benefit from a shower chair. Some of these might require action before my next visit.

Lots of Paperwork

There's a lot of documentation involved in home health. I have to complete a comprehensive assessment called the OASIS (Outcome and Assessment Information Set) that Medicare requires.

I'll also go over your patient rights, HIPAA privacy information, and emergency procedures. You'll sign several documents consenting to treatment and acknowledging you've received this information.

I know the paperwork feels tedious, but it's required. We try to get through it efficiently.

Developing the Care Plan

By the end of the visit, I have a clear picture of your situation. I'll explain what happens next:

How often I'll be visiting (might be twice a week, might be daily at first, depends on your needs). What other services you might need - maybe physical therapy, maybe occupational therapy, maybe a home health aide. What your goals are and how we'll measure progress. What to do if you have a problem between visits.

Your doctor has to approve the care plan, but I'll draft it based on this assessment.

Questions I'll Ask You

I'm going to ask things like:

What help do you have at home? Spouse, family member, friend? What activities are you having trouble with right now? What are your goals - what do you want to get back to doing? Do you have any concerns I should know about? Do you have advance directives - a living will or healthcare proxy?

There are no wrong answers. I just need to understand your situation fully.

Questions You Should Ask Me

Good things to ask:

How do I reach you or the agency if I have a problem? What warning signs should make me call you versus go to the ER? How will you communicate with my doctor? Will it be you coming every time, or different nurses?

After I Leave

I go back to the office (or my car, honestly) and complete all the paperwork, create your care plan, and send it to your doctor for approval.

Within a day or two, you should have your first regular visit scheduled, and any additional services (PT, OT) will reach out to schedule their evaluations.

A Few Tips

Have your medications accessible when I arrive. Write down questions you want to ask beforehand - it's easy to forget in the moment. If a family member is involved in your care, having them present for this visit is helpful. Don't clean your house on my account. I literally do not care about dust - I care about tripping hazards.

The Bottom Line

The first visit is an evaluation, a medication review, and an orientation all rolled into one. It's longer and more thorough than the visits that follow.

After this, we have a plan, and regular care begins.