Frequently Asked Questions
We’re bringing answers home.
Home Healthcare FAQ
What is Home Healthcare?
Home healthcare is quite like it sounds. It is medical attention provided by skilled professionals that takes place in the comfort and convenience of your own home. The care comes to you rather than you having to travel to a hospital or clinic.
Home healthcare is coordinated by a licensed, qualified organization and may involve the services of nurses, therapists, clinicians and sometimes even social workers providing non-medical support. It is a service ordered by a physician for patients who may be recovering from a surgery, illness or injury or for those facing chronic illness.
What’s the difference between home healthcare, hospice care and private home care?
Home Healthcare is quite like it sounds. It is medical attention provided by skilled professionals that takes place in the comfort and convenience of your own home. The care comes to you rather than you having to travel to a hospital or clinic. Home healthcare is coordinated by a licensed, qualified organization and may involve the services of nurses, therapists, clinicians and sometimes even social workers providing non-medical support. It is a service ordered by a physician for patients who may be recovering from a surgery, illness or injury or for those facing chronic illness.
Hospice care is a philosophy of high-quality, compassionate care for anyone of any age who has a life-limiting illness and does not want any more curative treatment. It provides dignity, choice and comfort so what remains of life can be lived to its fullest. Hospice care also provides a great deal of support for family members in the form of physical, emotional and spiritual assistance.
Private Home Care provides care that concentrates on activities of daily living that including live in senior care, personal care, household/chore services, and transportation. These are all things that allow us to remain independent and in our homes.
Who is eligible for home healthcare?
To qualify for home health services, you must be in need of periodic medical treatment but experiencing difficulty leaving your home and to do so, need to rely on another person or an assistance device such as a cane, a walker or a wheelchair. The care must be ordered by your physician and that physician must be licensed in the state of Georgia. The care also must be deemed reasonable and necessary to the treatment of the patient’s illness or injury.
What services are covered under the Medicare benefit?
If you have Medicare benefits, you’ll be covered for home health services such as nursing care, physical therapy and speech-language pathology services. If qualified, you may also receive occupational therapy, the help of a medical social worker, assistance from a home health aide and/or medical supplies.
How many visits will I get at home?
Every patient and situation is different, and it will depend on the treatment ordered by your physician. Visiting Nurse continually communicates and coordinates the home visits with your doctor’s office. That way, if your situation should change, we will work in tandem with the doctor to decide if we should increase or decrease your visits.
What can I expect on the first Visiting Nurse Home Healthcare visit?
Visiting Nurse will assess the needs of the patient during the first visit ensuring the transition from the hospital to your home quite seamless. During the initial visit, a nurse or therapist will coordinate a hands-on plan of care for the patient including their physicians, family, and caregivers. By working together, Visiting Nurse’s team is able to provide the most exceptional care possible.
What does “homebound” mean?
Homebound indicates that it is challenging to leave the home and/or you unable to leave your home safely without medical equipment such as crutches, canes, walkers or wheelchairs. Your physician can determine if you are homebound if they believe that your illness or current health status could get worse if you do leave your home. However, it is not completely forbidden to leave the home. Those that are homebound leave for short periods of time for special non-medical activities like trips to attend church, graduations or to the barber/beauty shop.
Can I request Visiting Nurse if my doctor orders home health care for me?
Of course you can. Patients have the freedom to choose their health care provider under Federal law.
Who do I contact about admission to the program?
Call us, Visiting Nurse Health System, Georgia’s largest nonprofit home healthcare provider. We will then contact your physician to see if home health services are recommended and we will begin your plan. Call (404) 215-6000. We are ready to bring healthcare home to you.
How much does home healthcare cost?
Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance and managed care organizations cover the cost of home health services. Some insurance and manage care plans may require a deductible or co-pay. To have Visiting Nurse help you figure out your depth of coverage, call (404) 215-6000.
Are your employees supervised on a regular basis?
It is important to have a collaborative environment so our teams, clients, their families and physicians are on the same page. We update our employees weekly on their clients’ cases. Our Private Home Care team is also supervised by nurses on-site where they monitor the condition of the patient. These observations allow our team to report any changes to condition, care needs to the client’s family and/or primary physician.
How does Visiting Nurse | Hospice Atlanta ensure all employees are trustworthy and competent?
We understand the uncertainty of having someone new in your home but it is our goal to ensure that all of our clients are comfortable with all Visiting Nurse | Hospice Atlanta employees they come in contact with. Our employees proudly uphold our organizational values—respect, integrity, excellence, stewardship and care in all we do. At Visiting Nurse | Hospice Atlanta, we take pride in having compassionate and qualified employees. All employees are required to have advanced proficiency in critical thinking, time management, technical skills as well as reading, writing and speaking English. We also examine the following for all team members during the hiring process:
- Education
- Current licenses and/or certifications
- Criminal background checks
- Ability to read, write and speak English
- Written references
Does Visiting Nurse provide back-up coverage?
Yes, of course. For all pre-scheduled visits, we will provide backup coverage when necessary. Visiting Nurse is available 24/7 and will never leave a client unattended.
Are Visiting Nurse staff members insured and bonded?
Safety and integrity are important to us. All Visiting Nurse employees are fully insured in compliance with the Georgia state laws and fully bonded against theft.
Connect with Us on Instagram
Happy Father’s Day from Visiting Nurse Health System! 💙
Today we honor fathers, father figures, grandfathers and the fathers who are caregivers -leading lead with love, strength, and quiet dedication at home and in our communities. Thank you for all you do!
#FathersDay #VisitingNurse #HonoringDads #visitingnursehealthsystem
📢 We’re proud to share that Visiting Nurse Health System made front page news this week in Home Health Care News!
📰 Check out the featured article where our President & CEO, Dorothy Davis, talks about the growing financial pressures nonprofit home-based care providers face—especially in a market increasingly shaped by Medicare Advantage.
Dorothy shares insights on how competition for tier 1 patients and reimbursement challenges are shaping the future of care—not just for our patients, but for all of us who may one day need these vital services.
💬 We’re grateful to be part of this important conversation about the sustainability of nonprofit home health—and the critical business drivers that will define its future.
📖 Read the article here 👉https://vnhs.org/news/
#HomeHealthCare #NonprofitLeadership #MedicareAdvantage #ValueBasedCare #VisitingNurseHealthSystem #HealthCareNews #FutureOfCare
VNHS Spotlight!
We`re pleased to share our award winning Chief Innovation Officer, Jaqueline Ralph-Blair, was honored today with Modern Healthcare’s Leading Woman of 2025 award!
This prestigious award honors 30 leading women and 10 rising stars who are making lasting positive changes to the business of healthcare.
Celebrated today in Chicago at Modern Healthcare’s 15th Annual Leading Women Conference & Awards Luncheon, Jacqueline and her 2025 class of Modern Healthcare`s Leading Women, received a vanguard award honoring their achievements in and contributions to healthcare, to include directing strategic partnerships, designing cutting-edge technologies, and spearheading revenue-boosting initiatives.
Congratulations Jacqueline and THANK YOU for all you do!!
#leadership #CSuite #givingback #healthcare #visitingnursehealthsystem #hospiceatlanta
Today, we remember and honor all who gave their lives in service to our country. Their courage, sacrifice, and dedication will never be forgotten. Forever grateful. 🕊️
#MemorialDay #HonorAndRemember #NeverForget #hospiceatlanta #visitingnursehealthsystem
🏌️♀️ We’re proud to be part of a great cause on and off the course!
Visiting Nurse Health System | Hospice Atlanta was honored to participate in and sponsor this year`s LeadingAge Georgia Golf Tournament—an event that brings together healthcare partners and changemakers in senior care.
This tournament helps sustain the vital work of LeadingAge Georgia, empowering member organizations that serve and advocate for our aging population across the state. It’s a privilege to be part of a community so committed to compassionate, quality care for older adults. ⛳️💙
#LeadingAgeGA #GolfForACause #SeniorCare #VisitingNurseHealthSystem #HospiceAtlanta #AgingWithDignity #CommunitySupport
🎉 Please join us in celebrating our Employee of the Month – Dykia Brummitt! 🌟
Dykia’s dedication, compassion, and positive team spirit make a lasting impact on everyone she cares for. Her commitment to our mission and values here at Visiting Nurse Health System shines through in all she does, and we are so grateful to have her on our team. 💙👏
Congratulations, Dykia—you truly embody what it means to provide care with heart! 🏆
#EmployeeOfTheMonth #VisitingNurseProud #HealthcareHeroes #ThankYouDykia #visitingnursehealthsystem
🎉 Celebrating Nurses Month continues with our incredible nursing team at Hospice Atlanta | Visiting Nurse Home Health! 💙🩺Here`s our Home Health team celebrating this week! We’re so proud of our compassionate, dedicated nurses who go above and beyond every day to care for our community in the comfort of their home. Thank you for all that you do! 👏
#NursesMonth #VisitingNurseHealthSystem #ThankYouNurses #hospiceatlanta
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us last Saturday for Hospice Atlanta`s 3rd Annual Resilience bereavement event. Whether you came to listen, speak, or simply be present, your participation helped create a space of healing, support, and strength.
A special thank you to our incredible speakers, who so generously shared their stories, insights, and compassion. Your words touched many and reminded us all that even in grief, we are not alone.
To every attendee — your presence was powerful. Thank you for showing up for yourselves, and for each other. Together, we honored our losses and found comfort in community. Thank you to our gracious volunteers and staff who supported the event operations. Let’s continue to walk this path together. 💛
#ResilienceEvent #GriefSupport #ThankYou #HealingTogether #hospiceatlanta #visitingnursehealthsystem
💐Happy Mother`s Day!💐
#mothersday #hospiceatlanta #visitingnursehealthsystem
Happy Nurses Week!
Celebrating this week the incredible dedication, compassion, and resilience of nurses here at Visiting Nurse | Hospice Atlanta and everywhere! 🌟🩺
Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, providing unwavering support and care to patients and their families. In 2025, we continue to recognize the vital role they play in our communities and their commitment to improving lives. Let`s take a moment to express our gratitude and appreciation for these healthcare heroes.
Join us in celebrating Nurses Week by sharing a story of a nurse who has inspired you or by simply saying “thank you” to a nurse who has made a difference in your life.
Thank You For All You Do!! Happy Nurses Week! 💙🏥 #nursesweek2025#healthcareheroes#ThankYouNurses#visitingnursehealthsystem#hospiceatlanta
Thank you Mutual of America for a great time celebrating our mission, Healthcare Champions, and new friends of Visiting Nurse at Mercedes Stadium.
#visitingnursehealthsystem #hospiceatlanta #communityfirst
Great news! Seats still available at this year`s Hospice Atlanta Resilience Grief Workshop May 17! We have an amazing line up of inspiring speakers, to help you at what ever stage you may be at on your journey of grief. Please enjoy reading here, and details to register below. #grief #support #hospiceatlanta #visitingnursehealthsystem
