The public health department at Greene County Medical Center is in the process of transitioning out of providing home care services. Staff is working with clients in a transition over to UnityPoint at Home or another provider of the client’s choice.
More than a year ago, a partnership with UnityPoint at Home began to strengthen the many home care services that have been offered for more than 25 years through public health. During this time, the partnership has allowed for centralized billing and coding processes, a move toward electronic health records for home care services and enhancement of care coordination between client, physician, hospital and home care nurse.
Two longtime public health nurses, Linda Smith and Kim Clark, have recently joined the UnityPoint at Home team.
UnityPoint at Home is a part of the larger UnityPoint Health system, a group the medical center has partnered with since 1988. The many elements of home care offered through UnityPoint at Home such as nursing, rehabilitation therapy, palliative care, infusion therapy, hospice care and other similar services goes beyond what public health has been able to offer on its own.
Current public health staff is working with clients on their transfer of care to their chosen provider. Public health director Becky Wolf says that transfers are going smoothly, with no disruption of services, and will continue until all home care clients have been transferred.
Public health will continue to serve the needs of Greene County communities in many ways, including immunizations, maternal-child health, communicable disease surveillance, health education, community health needs assessments and the HOPES in-home parenting program. Additionally, homemaker services, such as basic housekeeping and personal errands, will continue to be provided by public health aides.
Wolf said, “Clients who have chosen or are choosing to go with UnityPoint at Home are going to find their care will be as good, or even enhanced, from what they have been receiving. And public health will now focus more intently on those services that benefit the community at large. It’s a win-win for our communities.”
