Home Health

Home Health Services Referral

Download Home Health & Hospice Referral Form

FIRE RESPONSE

Call 911 or an emergency number for your area.

• Use smoke detectors near all bedrooms and on every floor of your home.
• Keep fire extinguishers in the home, especially in high-risk areas such as the kitchen.
• Plan a place to meet outside the home if you have to evacuate because of a fire.
• Plan at least two exit paths from each room of your home in case of a fire.
• Heat your home safely. Keep portable heaters at least 3 feet away from people and objects.
• Install a carbon monoxide detector for extra protection.
• Never smoke in bed.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

What is your fire plan? Where will you exit? Where will you meet?

• Where will you take cover if a tornado warning occurs?
• Keep emergency telephone numbers for fire, ambulance, and police close to or on each phone.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Check electrical cords for wear. Discard all cords that are frayed or have exposed wires.

• Ground all 3-pronged plug adapters. 

OXYGEN USE

Place a “No Smoking” sign on all entrances to your home. The company that provides your oxygen can provide you with these signs.

• Do NOT use more than 50 feet of tubing between the oxygen source and the patient.
• Do NOT place oxygen tanks within 1.5 feet of windows, doors, or other items.
• Do NOT allow open flames such as pilot lights, gas stoves, or water heaters within 12 feet of any oxygen equipment or tubing.
• Place the telephone number of your electric company on or at every telephone. Call them immediately if you experience a power outage.

MEDICATION:

Store all medications out of the reach of children.

• Secure the caps on medication bottles.
• Store syringes behind a closed door, and do not talk to others about the fact that you have syringes in your home.
• Never expose medications, in or out of bottles, to sunlight.
• Set a med planner to organize medicines and to indicate when they should be taken.

INFECTION PREVENTION:

All caregivers need to wear gloves when handling blood or body fluids.

• Do laundry regularly and change soiled linens promptly.
• Ask your home health provider about disposing of syringes and other wastes.
• Practice good personal hygiene, especially hand-washing.
• Properly store foods. Check the expiration date.

If you live within a 50-mile radius of Stillwater within the counties we serve and could benefit from care provided in your home, home health could be available to you. To be eligible for services to be paid by Medicare, you must (1) meet Medicare homebound criteria, (2) require nursing care or rehabilitation therapy for a short time or intermittently, and (3) have treatment under a physician’s supervision. Home health services under other payor sources require qualified home health staff to determine the benefits available to the patient through that payer source. Contact us if there are questions regarding our ability to meet your needs. Private pay services are available as well. Skilled care provided by a nurse or therapist requires a physician’s order. Private payment for personal care services only for tasks of daily living by an aide does not require a physician order and can be billed to the patient or family on an hourly basis.

All employees have been through extensive interviews and have had full background reviews prior to joining our team of professionals. Ongoing examination ensures our caregivers provide you with a safe and qualified team of healthcare professionals. The Stillwater at Home staff has over 480 years of combined valuable experience to help you work toward your goals and return to the life you desire. 

Care through the home healthcare benefit under Medicare and various payers generally require a physician order. The first step is to contact your physician to discuss your needs and request a referral to a home health agency. For payment for services, many times, an in-office visit or a visit in person with a physician, such as while in the hospital, is required by your insurance coverage to validate the order for home healthcare. If you have any questions, you can contact us at (405) 533-4500 or use the “Contact Us” page to ask your questions. We would be happy to assist you in determining the next steps. To arrange personal care such as bathing, cooking, and companions without the need of skilled care such as nursing or therapy, you can call our agency or utilize the “Contact us” form for more information. We will happily work with you to design a plan of service that meets your needs for yourself or a loved one. We additionally will provide you with the out-of-pocket cost of the care to be provided to allow you to plan your care needs in the most financially sound manner.

At the initial visit, prior to admitting the patient to our care, a professional staff member will provide information on insurance coverage and payment arrangements. 

Medicare Home Health Benefits: Medicare benefits cover the cost of home health services as “deemed reasonable, necessary, and ordered by your physician.” 

Medicaid and Other Commercial Insurance: Medicaid, private insurance, and private-pay patients are also welcome. Many private and group insurance plans cover home health services, and, as a benefit to you, our employees will research your coverage and advise you on which services your insurance or other source will help cover. We will work with private insurance carriers, Medicare, and Medicaid to bill them directly for covered services. The home care services may require pre-authorization from the insurance carrier. 

Self-Pay Services: Stillwater Medical has the ability to bill payment of services directly to the individual or family for skilled care services. In the event that financial assistance is needed, the patient or family is able to apply for assistance based on set criteria. Stillwater at Home is able to make arrangements to help individuals meet their either self-pay accounts or copayment requirements.

Home health is commonly confused with hospice. But unlike hospice, home health is in no way a service to be considered only in an end-of-life situation. Home health providers assist with the patient’s return to the most independent and safe setting possible, preferably in their own home. Home health is intermittent and usually decreases in services until the time of discharge back into the community, versus hospice is present and may result in increased services until the patient passes away. Contact us for further information.