The Fayette County Health Department Home Health began in 1976 and has continued to meet the needs of Fayette County. Home Health is comprehensive yet specific to the patient which contributes to the quality of life of our patients. Recovery time is decreased while cost is minimized.

The goal of Home Health is to provide skilled quality patient care in the home setting. As patient insurance and Medicare / Medicaid providers require hospitals to reduce their hospital stays, a number of patients returning home have ongoing needs. Home Health care is a valuable alternative to long hospital stays or nursing home placement. Patient and family compliance and assistance enhances the care that Home Health can provide on an intermittent basis. In order to be appropriate for home care services under Medicare, patients must continuously meet the following criteria:

  • One must be homebound as defined by Medicare regulations
  • Absences from home should be infrequent and of short duration, but leaving your home for medical care is acceptable.
  • You must have a family member or caregiver able and willing to participate in your care if necessary.

You have a choice!

When additional care is required after a hospital stay, many people are not aware they have a choice in who provides that care, or that they may ask for Home Health if they feel it is needed. As a county-based agency, we compete with agencies directly affiliated with hospitals and agencies operating for profit. We encourage you to choose wisely, based on proven quality from our professional staff.

Eligibility and Referrals

A referral may be made by family, case managers, social workers, physicians, or patients themselves. Physician orders will be required prior to admission for Home Health services. Referrals may be made prior to entering a hospital for elective or anticipated treatment by calling the office at 618.283.7262.

Costs

Fayette County Health Department accepts Medicare, Medicaid and most major private insurance companies. The Home Health Program is certified by Medicare and is licensed by the State of Illinois.

What Services are Available?

Home Health agency services must be intermittent or part-time and must be necessary and reasonable for treatment of the illness or injury. The services are designed to provide skilled services which will include the education and teaching of the patient, patient's family, and caregivers to support the rehabilitation and recovery of the patient.

Custodial care (care provided which does not require the skills of a registered nurse, physical therapist, speech therapist or occupational therapist) is NOT covered by Medicare.

Skilled Nursing Care

Provided by Registered Nurses

  • Complete body system assessments
  • Patient specific updated wound care, including wound vacs and drain care
  • Patient education / teaching, chronic disease management, including CHF, COPD, and Diabetes
  • Pain management
  • Central / PICC Line / port maintenance
  • Laboratory services (drawing blood for tests, collection of specimens)
  • Injections / instruction to self-administration
  • Diabetic care / teaching
  • Catheterization
  • Change of catheter, instruction to family/caregiver on care of catheter
  • Colostomy and ileostomy care/instruction
  • IV antibiotic therapy

Home Health Aide Care

  • Personal care (i.e. bathing, shampooing, oral hygiene care, and skin care)
  • Body mechanics (i.e. positioning, transferring, assistance with walker and crutches, range of motion)
  • General procedures (i.e. monitoring vital signs, simple dressings)
  • Report changes and needs to nursing
  • Instructional/reinforcement to independency with ADL's

Medical Social Worker

  • Long term planning for medical intervention
  • Community resource person
  • Patients advocate
  • Assist with obtaining financial resources
  • Provides emotional support to patient and family

Occupational Therapy

  • Helps patients regain fine motor skills (i.e. writing, personal care, energy conservation techniques)
  • Assesses patients needs for assistive devices for activities of daily living
  • Upper extremity strengthening / splinting

Speech Therapy Services

Care is directed toward:

  • Voice disorder
  • Speech articulation
  • Non-verbal communication
  • Swallowing difficulties
  • Stroke rehabilitation

Physical Therapy Services

  • Home exercise program
  • Helps patients regain mobility by therapeutic exercises / muscle strengthening
  • Helps patients increase strength and relieve pain
  • Muscle re-education skills
  • Gait training, transfer training

Home Health Referral Process

From physicians to friends, family members or neighbors, anyone can make a referral for home health. The earlier a person is referred, the more FCHD Home Health can do to help. Obtaining all appropriate information about FCHD Home Health will help patients and families understand the role of home health, should their services be elected. We will contact the prospective patient's doctor to determine the medical appropriateness for home health services. Often the doctor or the hospital discharge planners will contact our home health after they have discussed the home health option with the patient and family. A patient will begin home health services once the consent form electing home health has been signed.

How to Refer to Fayette County Home Health

Place a call to Fayette County Home Health at 618.283.7262 during working hours (8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.), or call 618.463.2404 after hours. FCHD Home Health will contact the primary physician for an order for a consultation or care to begin. A Home Health nurse will arrange a meeting with the patient / family / caregivers to explain the philosophy and obtain signatures on consent form. This initial meeting gathers information on the patient's immediate needs; medical information history; pay source; contact information; advance directives; medication and medical equipment needs.

Donations and Memorials

When families, individuals and patients name the Fayette County Health Department Home Health to receive contributions and memorials, it is a tribute not only to the patient, but to the Home Health staff who frequently leave their homes and families to provide help, comfort, and medical intervention to patients and families. Memorials and donations are greatly appreciated.

A contribution is tax deductible and may be of several methods. No individual employee may accept a gift of value for services. If the donor wishes to donate for the benefit of all employees of Home Health, this must be stated when the donation is made.