You Have a Choice . . .
Select Excellence

A Medicare-Certified Home Health Care Agency in Boca Raton, FL

Frequently Asked Questions to Address Most Concerns

People call on us to provide in-home health services for a variety of reasons. Often, a family member or loved one requires specialized care in making the transition from a medical facility into their own home again. Other times, an individual needs our help to minimize the possibility of hospitalization. No matter what the reason, we understand how difficult those situations can be, and we know that getting the right home health care often brings to mind a lot of questions.

Below is a list of the most frequently asked questions we receive. If you have concerns that aren’t addressed here, please get in touch with an e-mail, or call us at 561-395-9101 (toll-free: 800-606-0856.)

Who does Empathy Care provide services for?

We offer skilled nursing and therapeutic services for all people, regardless of their race, color, religion, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental handicap, or national origin. Most often, we bring our services directly to the comfort of our clients' homes with a personalized treatment plan designed to maximize the care they need in a way that helps them to become increasingly self-sufficient. In some situations, people come to know us while they are patients or residents of a medical facility with which we work cooperatively for various services.

But no matter how we develop relationships with our clients, we recognize that each person is unique. And, because we're independently owned and operated, we make sure they get precisely the care they need — not a “one size fits all” level of care that's too often typical of agencies governed by giant corporate chains.

What geographical area does Empathy Care cover?

We are based in Boca Raton and send trained health care practitioners to clients throughout Palm Beach and Broward counties. Call if you're uncertain whether we can accommodate your location.

What kind of a track record does Empathy Care have?

We were established in 1992, and through 2010 — indeed, for seven years in a row — received a deficiency-free report by the State of Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. That's a rare distinction that few home health agencies can claim. For three years in a row (2008, 2009, 2010) we have also been listed among the top 25 percent of Medicare-certified home health services across the nation by HomeCare Elite, a nationally recognized source about home health care agencies that must abide by strict standards for Medicare certification.

What kind of services do you provide?

Our specialized services include medication supervision, personal care, IV therapy, lymphedema care, respiratory care, vestibular rehab therapy to help prevent falls, nutritional supervision, and more. Our home care services provide meal preparation, light housekeeping, transportation, grocery shopping and errands. We also provide grooming services, such as bathing, dressing and similar kinds of help. We even offer companion services. You can read more about exactly how we can help you on our Services Page.

How does Empathy Care determine a client's needs?

Typically, a physician writes an order for home care, and a simple phone call can begin the referral process. One of our care managers then explains to prospective clients the services we offer, the cost of those services, billing procedures, which of our skilled professional staff members would be required, and so on.

Does anyone visit me in advance to assess my home environment?

Oh, yes! That's part of our process. Once the need for care has been established, a registered nurse makes a home visit to develop a mutually agreeable plan of care. Based on the assessment, the nurse then decides what kind of caregiver would be most effective to meet the client's needs. That caregiver could be a licensed practical nurse, nursing assistant, or home health aide. A physical, occupational or speech therapist might also be assigned. The process is continually supervised and assessed by a registered nurse and/or care manager. In fact, we have a registered nurse on call 24 hours a day.

How much time do your nursing professionals spend at a client's home?

This can vary tremendously, but we're available for full-time care, part-time care, and even intermittent care. It depends on the client's individualized needs, which are developed in consultation with the client and the client's physician.

How can I be sure that your staff is qualified to help me?

We're extremely diligent when we hire staff members. We conduct background screenings of our own, and make sure that candidates also meet or exceed standards required by the State of Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Finally, we only send people to clients who are insured and bonded. Our practitioners must have high-level skills, experience, and self-initiative. We also make sure they have a track record for being reliable and compassionate. Additionally, our staff receives continuing education and training to ensure they provide the best care available today — and tomorrow.

What are the payment options for Empathy Care?

We're a Medicare-certified agency, but we also accept private pay and most private insurance.

Who handles the billing?

We do. We have a full-time accounting staff to handle billing requirements.

Are the rates for services different for holidays?

There is no rate change for Medicare clients. However, for private pay and insurance clients, we do use a rate differential for holidays, billed at time and a half.

Will I always get the same nurse or aide for every home visit?

To provide continuity of care we always try to send the same caregiver for each visit. Now and then, a conflict in schedules might prompt a situation in which we have to send a different person, but that doesn't happen very often.