Private Duty Insider Newsletter by DecisionHealth

Private Duty Insider Newsletter by DecisionHealth

Key Lessons Learned from Private Duty Leaders

If you were to look at the performance results from 105 private duty executives whose agencies gross $2 million or more in annual revenue, what key characteristics would they have in common?

Recent results from the 2011 Private Duty Home Care Benchmarking Study show those leaders are more efficient in a few key areas of business. The rest of this article highlights some of those areas.  Read More

Disaster Preparedness Part 1:  Protect Your Clients

Recent tornadoes in Alabama and across the South should force your agency to assess its disaster preparedness plans. And you might find that there’s an opportunity to offer extra services to keep your clients safe during such disasters. 

In states that license home care companies, disaster preparation is mandated. However, government requirements often fall short of really preparing your clients for a disaster.  Read More

How to Prove the Companionship Services Exemption

Many home care agencies use the companionship services exemption to exempt their sitter, companion or personal care employees from minimum wage and overtime pay under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

But not all agencies understand how to establish the exemption. For an employee to fall within that exemption, four elements must be met:

1. The services provided must be companionship services;
2. General household work may not exceed 20% of the total weekly hours worked;
3. The employee’s duties may not require the training of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse; and,
4. The services must be performed in or about the private home of the client.

The agency has the burden to prove these elements. If it cannot, the exemption is lost.  Read More