Comfort Keepers of Central Florida is fully compliant!
In the state of Florida, Home Healthcare Agencies (HHA) are regulated by the Agency for Healthcare Administration (ACHA). ACHA provides Florida Home Healthcare Agencies with 380 regulations to follow if they desire to be in good standing. Violations of any single regulation can lead to a written warning, fine of $5000 or more, or a revocation of the HHA’s license.
When HHA’s are surveyed for compliance, visits are unannounced and an evaluation is completed by a registered nurse employed by the State. Comfort Keepers’ Gainesville office received one of these unannounced visits. First, the surveyor asked for a list of all clients Comfort Keepers had served in the last 6 months. Then, she selected 9 charts at random to review. The surveyor also asked for a list of our current and past employees, and selected a group of employee charts to review.
The ACHA surveyor is trained to search through files for things like accurate and up to date training records for our home health aides, quality assurance measures that ensure excellent care, evidence that background screenings are performed in a timely manner, and an up to date comprehensive emergency management plan (in case of hurricane or other disaster). After reviewing the employee and client charts, the surveyor interviewed co-owner and Administrator Jocelyn Holt, and our Alternate Administrator and nurse, Nancy Cameron, RN to assess whether other state regulations were being followed.
Finally, the nurse-surveyor concluded her evaluation by calling 3 of our clients to ask them about the care we provide.
At the end of the survey, we were found to be deficiency free and fully compliant with the require Florida regulations! It was such a good feeling to see that our attention to detail and quality care for our clients was positively recognized. Our surveyor congratulated us for running an excellent home care agency and felt that it was very apparent that we care deeply for our senior clients and employees. As true Comfort Keepers, we are so proud of this achievement.
Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages, Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 855-592-0013.
photo credit: Stephen Cummings
