Starting an agency

Nurses Entrepreneurs

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Hello,I am a 22 year old Jr. nursing student pursuing my BSN. I have been doing a lot of research the last couple weeks about starting a home health care agency. I would however also be interested in knowing about a nursing agency. I currently work a patient care tech at a hospital. I plan on pouring my life into this profession of nursing when I graduate. Working at the hospital and being in school has really helped me realize that this is my calling. However I would like to have something to call my own. I think my hard work could be making a larger impact on the world of healthcare if I had some more influence. There are some areas that I think we could, as a profession, do to advance the world into a way of healthier and happier living. I have done some research about home health care the past few weeks and I have some points I would love to hear back on.1.) has anyone out here either personally done so or known someone who has taken out a SBA loan or other type of business loan to start a nursing agency?2.) I have looked into the medicare and JCO requirements to become a certified provider/ accredited organization. Some of the language was a little opaque, could someone open some dialogue with me about how to make real steps towards achieving these goals. (I haven't looked into much on private insurance is this a whole new animal)3.) How does billing an insurance agency work?4.) What is a good way to collect market data about my area. (Cook County IL).How many people around me are reviving home health care/ are eligible. Where are clients obtained from. How does one work their way into becoming an institutions "referral"5.) Is home health a growing industry?Lot of questions here I would love to get as much feedback as possible. Also sort of a follow up to question 5. Can home health take on a larger role in the future. Providing care to someone without the overhead costs of a hospital or long term care facility is certainly more cost effective. Wouldn't medicare/ other insurances be apt to pay for something that could be done in a more cost effective manor. Is their even a possible research topic to be found if we can offer home health to people in a way that can compete with some of the nursing homes. There is a large generation of retired people coming up will the industry be able to care for them all? What about the ones who cant afford an assisted living faculty we cant just leave our elders alone in their homes to die. I hope I don't live in a culture that will turn a blind eye to the ones who raised it.

monkeyhq

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Before you even consider beginning a home health agency, I highly recommend you get some significant nursing experience under your belt. There are many compliance issues, legal issues, financial issues to consider. I don't believe it is possible, as a new grad, to truly grasp the depth of what you wish to accomplish without that experience.

Just to get you started, after you have working as and RN for awhile, perhaps you can move to medicaid waiver service as an independent private duty nurse? That would get your feet wet in the field and help you learn the system.

Best of luck, and much success!

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