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We're Different – In Two Ways!

1) We are a home health agency, not a Nurse Registry.

Many people do not know the difference between Nursing Registries and Home Health Agencies. Nightingale Private Care is a home health agency. When researching a company, look at the license numbers of each. Nurse Registries’ license numbers start with “NR.” Home health agencies’ license numbers start with HHA.

 

  • Registries operate as referral services. They use independent contractors to provide your care. Registries are restricted in the amount of direction they can give to their independent contractors because the contractors must remain independent. Home health agencies, on the other hand, hire employees, not contractors. The employees receive full direction and supervision by the agency.
  • Registries do not provide worker’s compensation for their independent contractors. Home health agencies do provide this coverage for their employees. This difference is important to the client, because if a home health worker is injured while working in the home, without worker’s compensation coverage, the worker must use his own personal insurance to cover the injury or the worker may sue the client’s home owner’s policy to cover their expenses. Using a home health agency eliminates the concern of any repercussion to the client in the event of a home health worker’s injury.
  • State regulation requires home health agencies carry large umbrella liability policies for their employees. Nightingale employees are also bonded. Registries ask their independent contractors to carry their own personal liability insurance policies, and often the coverage is for a greatly reduced amount.

These differences are relevant to the decision making process for private duty home health services. The protection of close supervision, bonding and worker's compensation coverage affored by choosing Nightingale Private Care often gives families great peace of mind.

 

2) We are nationally accredited.

Many people do not know what home health accreditation means. In the home health industry, state licensure is required to meet basic standards. When a home health agency is accredited, its' programs and policies have not only met the state licensure requirements, but have also passed the very stringent guidelines set forth by an independent, nationally accreditation commission. The home health agency must submit proof of adherence to these high standards initially and then regularly thereafter. The agency is monitored to assure that they maintain their accreditation status. Nightingale Private Care is pleased to announce that it has been accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, and adheres to their standards in an effort to provide the most trusted of private duty services.