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Home Health Suit and Scrubs Episode 21 Part 2 focuses on the practical realities of home health work and what truly drives clinician satisfaction or dissatisfaction. A significant portion examines the much-touted "flexibility" of home health careers, revealing the gap between marketing promises and daily reality. While home health does offer genuine flexibility - like adjusting daily schedules around family needs or personal appointments - it remains a demanding grind requiring 30+ points per week plus extensive documentation and driving.
The hosts highlight important discipline-specific differences: PTs typically see 3-4 patients daily with heavier documentation that can be done at home, while PTAs often see 6-8 patients with longer face-to-face hours, making the job less flexible despite similar productivity requirements. Territory management emerges as crucial - Dan's ability to complete patient care by 2:45 PM depends on having reasonable drive times between patients, a feature not all agencies offer.
Low census periods are identified as a central breaking point, particularly for pay-per-visit clinicians who can't pay their bills without adequate patient volume. The hosts discuss how agencies sometimes respond by expanding territories, requiring longer drives without additional compensation, which often triggers job searches.
The episode provides practical retention strategies, contrasting effective approaches with common mistakes. Effective strategies include kudos point programs (Lisa describes earning 100 points per recognition, redeemable for quality items), drive time compensation, and genuine check-in calls from managers. Ineffective approaches include inconvenient appreciation events (ice cream trucks during work hours without productivity adjustments) and generic company swag.
The conversation concludes by acknowledging the strong job market for healthcare workers - Lisa notes getting multiple job offers immediately, while her husband in tech struggles to get responses. This market strength gives clinicians leverage but also emphasizes the importance for agencies to treat their staff well, as replacement costs and disruption from turnover are significant.
The Home Health Suit + Scrubs Podcast is your weekly dose of real talk for home health clinicians. Hosted by Dan Haggerty—a national home health therapy executive—and three seasoned home health PTs, each episode dives into the topics that matter most: safety, efficiency, clinical care, and career growth. Whether you’re a new grad or a home health veteran, you’ll find practical tips, relatable stories, and candid conversations designed to help you thrive in the field. From navigating tricky documentation to setting boundaries and staying safe on the road, Suit + Scrubs blends real-world insight with a touch of humor to make your commute between visits more useful—and more fun.
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Hosted by Dan Haggerty, Lisa Thompson, Dan Catuccio, and Brendan Kirby
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Brendan Kirby https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-kirby-99194b232/
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