[eligrace]

I am an LPN and I want to start a home care/ home health and PRN staffing agency. Any ideas where to start?

[pedsnurze1]

Originally Posted by eligrace

I am an LPN and I want to start a home care/ home health and PRN staffing agency. Any ideas where to start?

sorry I don't but let me know what you find out I'm also interested and I'll do the same for you. I'm thinking maybe looking into SBA small business association

[midcom]

Can an LPN even do that? Sorry, just my ignorance speaking.I just thought you have to be under the supervision of a RN. I'll be interested in hearing what you find out.
Dixie

[elkpark]

One place to start would be your state agency that licenses/regulates healthcare agencies & services (hospitals, LTCs, home health, etc.) It's called something different in every state, but it's usually a division of your state Department of Health and Human Services (or whatever that's called in your state ). They would be able to tell you if you qualify, professionally, to operate such a service, what kind of state license you would need (and how to get it), and what requirements and regulations you would have to meet.

[cocodog]

I know about all the government requirements needed to start a home health agency but how do I put it all together..Do you have experience in starting a home health care agency? How do I seek staffing & is there government funding available?

[underpaidrn]

Originally Posted by eligrace

I am an LPN and I want to start a home care/ home health and PRN staffing agency. Any ideas where to start?

It is extremely difficult to start a home health agency. There are many rules and regulations you need to follow, not to mention a $50,000 surety bond and heavy insurance. As an LPN, you could not be in charge of your agency. You would have to hire an RN to be the administrator. Also, if you are going for Medicare/Medicaid certification, you must take 7 active patients for FREE until the Medicare people show up for your initial survey. This includes paying all of your staff, medical supplies, etc. It's a very costly venture to start up. I would first start with your state's licensing agency to get a copy of the rules and regs you need to follow. Next step would be to hire competent staff, which you will have to pay out of pocket since you will have no income for a while. I wish you the best of luck. I've started three of them from scratch and it's a LOT of hard work.

[ColetteFL]

In addition to underpaid's comments, I would add the following:

if you don't want to offer skilled nursing, it is a much easier venture. People need companions and care-givers, and (in Florida anyway), you don't need to be licensed to do that. You *can* oversee caregivers as an LPN.

Also, Medicare is changing the rules of payment to HH agencies in January (called PPS), and many agencies will go under or have to cut back; it's going to be difficult for a lot of people/agencies.

Good luck on your venture, whatever you decide to do!