Tompkins County Home Health Care Gets High Rating

For more information contact: Sigrid Connors or Melissa Gatch at 274-6656

(Ithaca, NY – December 8, 2003) – Tompkins County Home Health Care (TCHHC) received an excellent score on ten out of eleven quality outcomes measured by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). The goal of CMS is to enhance the quality of health care for all Americans including those covered by Medicaid and Medicare. Home health care professionals and modern medicine make it possible for people to stay in their homes regardless of their condition.

CMS has published the information to enable consumers to make more informed decisions about their home health care, based on generally accepted quality of care criteria and outcome and quality measures that have been tested for accuracy and reliability.

Tompkins County Home Health Care (TCHHC), a division of the Tompkins County Health Department has been a certified home health agency since 1967. It provides skilled nursing care (such as wound care and intravenous therapy); disease management education, and physical, occupational and speech therapy. TCHHC contracts with 5 community agencies for home health aide services to offer comprehensive patient care.

In 2002 Tompkins County Home Health Care served 460 clients through 13,721 health care visits. A 94% client satisfaction survey confirmed that Tompkins County residents are pleased with the care they receive from TCHHC. As one client wrote, “What really impressed me about your agency’s care was their knowledge, dedication, desire and ability to advance my recovery in every way.” Sigrid Connors, RN, Director of Patient Services notes that, “Quality of care and helping our patients and their families cope with illness and injury are our primary mission. These national ratings confirm the fact that our staff provides excellent care to home care clients.”

To find more information on home health care agencies go to: www.medicare.gov/HHCompare/Home.asp