Nurse practitioner role in home healthcare: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Home health agencies must follow Medicare’s conditions of participations, as well as federal requirements with regard to plansof care and payment. Federal laws mandate that home health agencies can not authorize nurse practitioners (NPs) to directpatient care in the home environment. Instead, all orders must be signed by a physician or Medicare reimbursement may bejeopardized. Removing this barrier to care and supporting legislation that allows nurse practitioners to write orders and managethe care of patients in home healthcare, will increase access to these services and result in more timely consults on home carecases with agencies. NPs have been shown to provide safe and effective care, and nurses have always played a major role inhome care.