What's it like? Home Health Nurse Practitioner

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Hey everybody, I'm not having any luck finding topics over NPs who do home health/house calls. I was wondering what that kind of role would be like. Are there very many jobs taking house calls out there? What kind of a schedule do you have? How do you get reimbursed and how much? I am vaguely familiar with a home health RN role, though I have never worked as one. Working home health as an NP seems like it could be a pretty sweet 2nd job for those extra days off. Especially for people like me that would rather be out and about all day rather than stuck in office.

If there is anybody out there who knows what it is like, please fill me in!

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Home health patients usually have their own doc and RNs and other HH staff make visits. Are you thinking about being a provider that makes home visits rather than making home health visits?

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Honestly I am not sure. I have read a few posts about NPs doing house visits for Medicare pts and some other insurance companies, but it is rare to see anyone discussing it. I would like to hear about this role as well as any other similar roles NPs have in areas similar to home health, hospice etc. I was just using home health as a broad term to include ALL jobs that entail going to your pt's home. Whats a typical day like? Whats good/bad about the job? Does it bring in less or more money than other NP jobs in UrgentCare clinics or hospitals? What kind of a work schedule can be made?

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Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.

Check out MD2U | The Leader in Medical House Calls these are NPs that do housecalls (some the NP is the Primary provider, and some work in conjunction with providers) they are based out of Louisville, KY but are located in other states...It's something i have book marked after I finally get my NP as it's exactly what I want to do!

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Thanks, that link helped clear up some questions I had. Looks like it might be a pretty sweet gig from the outside. I'm sure this kind of preventative care role for NPs will grow as the ACA (Obamacare) continues to roll out. One of the ACA's biggest goals is to promote preventative care and eliminate unnecessary ER visits, both of which are common goals of companies such as MD2U. It will be interesting to see how these companies grow in the future with the ACA.

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Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.

I can tell you that the company I work for as a Case Manager is currently looking into expanding our CM services to include an NP going out for eval/treat, for those members who either can not get to their primary provider office, were recently discharged to provided a 90 day re-admission prevention protocol, and/or safety/home checks for those member we can't get ahold of on the phone to assess. We were using a private company to do annual H&Ps but I believe within the next couple of years we will bring it all in-house! I already told my medical director, if he does that, then when I graduate MSN school I'll be the number one home call NP they have! LOL

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I work full time doing house calls. My patients for whatever reason can not make into a clinic. Most have mobility issues. It is the best job I've ever had. I work with two other internal medicine doctors, two podiatrists and an opthamologist. We have medical assistants that drive us from home to home for appointments. You are providing the same type of primary care that you would provide in a medical office. I bring all of my supplies and drugs with me that I would need to use in an office. The compensation is great but you have to negotiate. All of my patients are Medicare, very, very complicated sick patients. I think most housecall patients are usually high complex patients. In my situation I get paid 51% of net revenues. This year it will be around $180k. I normally work 6 to 7 hours a day. If you can find a job doing house calls, go get it!

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Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.

That is precisely what I want to do for a living when I get out, or else work for the VA as a telehealth NP! I think the home setting can be more comfortable for a patient as well as give you the ability to really see how they are living too. I tucked away that MD2U website for future reference for myself. (I haven't been officially accepted to FNP school yet), but again this would be an amazing career path for me! =)

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Specializes in Hospice, Nursing Education, Primary Care.

I am a hospice nurse and have worked home health. I recently read about NPs who work with hospital after care in home. I am interested in continuing doing house calls. Thank you for your post. I graduate from FNP school in Dec 15.

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I work full time doing house calls. My patients for whatever reason can not make into a clinic. Most have mobility issues. It is the best job I've ever had. I work with two other internal medicine doctors, two podiatrists and an opthamologist. We have medical assistants that drive us from home to home for appointments. You are providing the same type of primary care that you would provide in a medical office. I bring all of my supplies and drugs with me that I would need to use in an office. The compensation is great but you have to negotiate. All of my patients are Medicare, very, very complicated sick patients. I think most housecall patients are usually high complex patients. In my situation I get paid 51% of net revenues. This year it will be around $180k. I normally work 6 to 7 hours a day. If you can find a job doing house calls, go get it!

That sounds like an awesome job! May I ask what state that is you are working in? I'm assuming Cali or somewhere in the Northeast possibly. I wonder because I would ideally be working in rural Oklahoma areas (where I was born and raised), and I am positive I would not have some of the perks you are getting such as assistant drivers or anything near 180k.

Thanks for sharing!

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I do home health too as an np, very rewarding job. I like the flexibility and the ability to make more depending on if you want to see more patients. As a new NP, my first year i made 160,000/year. Its either u can do it or not, you will have bad and good days as in some patients will cancel for different reasons, but if you are a go getter u will make good money.

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Rawish- what state do you work in? That is such a great salary!

I am very interested in doing Home Hospice as a NP. I have 1 year left of my AGNP degree to go. Any advice on a "day in the life" of a Home Hospice or Home Health NP would be greatly appreciated. I have worked at inpatient Hospice and ICU. The one big concern of mine with doing home health is getting LOST. I am so directionally challenged...

Thanks!

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