VNA & Hospice in Full Compliance

A recent inspection of McKean County VNA & Hospice by the Pennsylvania Health Department found the home health agency to be in full compliance with state and Medicare guidelines.

“The state Health Department said we were in compliance with all the required standards for a home health agency,” says Kathy Pascarella, director of VNA & Hospice, the home health agency of Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC).

“They evaluated our agency by going on home visits, looking at our policies and procedures and doing chart reviews. It was a thorough look at how we provide care and how we bill” for rendered services, Mrs. Pascarella notes.

“Our home health agency performs a wonderful and valuable array of services for people throughout all the communities in McKean County,” says Deborah Price, BRMC’s senior vice president of Patient Care Services.

“We at BRMC are proud of what the VNA can offer to those in need so they can remain safely in their home. The recent state Health Department inspection shows the quality service we provide,” she adds. “These wide-ranging services at the VNA are part of the overall continuum of care provided at BRMC,” Mrs. Price says.

The VNA at 20 School St. in Bradford is the county’s first home health agency, established in 1912. It is the only home health agency affiliated with BRMC. The VNA offers specialized nursing care, therapy services, medical support and technological services.

The agency provides cancer and diabetic care, infusion therapies, maternal/child health care, medical and surgical follow-up, medication management, nutritional care, ostomy care, pain management, telemedicine monitoring and wound care.

Telemedicine monitoring provides real-time data of a patient’s heart rate, blood pressure and weight. This monitoring system also asks simple healthcare questions to quickly identify any changes in clinical condition and allows for timely interventions that reduce the potential for hospital re-admissions.

Another technological service offered by the VNA is VoiceCare. This is a personal emergency response system designed for people who are confined to the home, medically vulnerable, physically handicapped or socially isolated. Additionally, physical and occupational therapy are provided to patients in the home by the VNA.

The agency’s home health aides also can assist patients with bathing, personal care, daily living activities, light housekeeping, blood pressure checks, taking temperatures, exercises and dressing changes.

The VNA’s medical social services offer problem resolution, grief counseling, emotional support, Medicare Part D counseling, living wills assistance, transportation, caregiver support, utility and medical bills assistance, and crisis intervention. Its hospice staff offers care and support to those with life-limiting illnesses and their families and caregivers. It enables a patient to experience death with dignity in the comfort of their home. This service provides direct care and counseling by specially trained professionals and volunteers to fulfill the patient’s and family’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs.

For more information about VNA, call 362-7466 or go to the Guide to Services section of BRMC’s Web site at www.brmc.com.

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