Becoming an administrator of a home health (HH) or hospice care (HSP) agency is not as hard as you think. Are the overwhelming regulations making it seem impossible to become an administrator in California? Do you need a guide that simplifies this process? While pages and pages of intricately worded regulations make it seem anything but easy, we assure you it is.
At The Home Health Consultant (THC) we have over 20 years of experience guiding agencies like yours through unnecessarily complicated red tape, so your business can be the best it can be.
In this article, we’ll walk you through a clear checklist to meet all requirements. Whether hiring or becoming an administrator, you’ll feel educated and prepared to address the regulations surrounding this role.
What is the Role of a Home Health or Hospice Care Administrator?
Home health and hospice care agencies have a lot in common. One of the key aspects they share is they both require an administrator. A home health or hospice care administrator:
- oversees day-to-day operations
- ensures compliance with federal and state regulations
- manages HR (Human Resources)
- manages finances
Because an administrator is so important to the success of your agency and legally required, you want finding the right person to be a painless and smooth experience.
By the end of this article, you'll be prepared to ensure your administrator meets all the federal and state requirements before you start the hiring process. In doing so, you avoid setbacks and costly staff change applications.
Educational & Professional Requirements for Home Health & Hospice Administrators
1. Be Able to Submit a 10 Year Resume to CDPH:
In California, an administrator applicant must include all of the following information on their 10 year resume
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- The start and end dates of each job
- Each job title
- The name of each employer
- The address of each employer
2. Registered Nurse, Doctor, or Bachelor’s Degree:
Another requirement for an administrator of a Home Health or Hospice Care agency is that you must have a
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- Bachelor's degree,
- be a registered nurse (RN),
- OR be a doctor.
You do not need to have all three of these requirements, just one of them will do. This is a recent requirement for agencies within California.
The most common question we get about administrator qualifications is whether or not the administrator’s degree has to be in a specific or health related field. In California, the administrator does not need to have formal healthcare or business education. A degree in any subject is acceptable.
An RN is anyone who has successfully passed or graduated from a nursing program at an accredited school and has fulfilled the necessary requirements set by a government licensing authority, such as a country or state. In California, there is no requirement for how long an RN has had their license. However, this may differ in each state.
3. At Least One Year of Supervisory Experience Within Last 3 Years:
In California, an administrator must have logged at least one year of supervisory experience in healthcare or a healthcare-related field. It always looks better if the administrator has experience in HH or HSP specifically, but this is not required.
Supervisory experience goes beyond day-to-day management to include responsibilities such as hiring, firing, and performance reviews. For example, managerial experience is not considered supervisory experience.
The most common question we get about administrator qualifications is whether or not the administrator’s degree has to be in a specific or health related field. In California, the administrator does not need to have formal healthcare or business education. A degree in any subject is acceptable
4. *National Government Services (NGS) Approval:
For hospice agenciesFor hospice agencies only, there are new requirements regarding staff approval. Now, on top of submitting to CDPH, hospice agencies are required to also report the hiring of and any changes to their administrator and medical director to NGS.
5. Background Check
In the state of California, for home health only, all key members of staff are required to undergo a background check. This requirement will vary depending on the state your agency operates in. For this background check to be completed, the applicant must undergo a digital fingerprinting process.
In California, the background checks are conducted through Live Scan. Live Scan then sends the results of the background check to the appropriate governing body, which will approve or deny your applicant depending on the results. In California, an administrator cannot have direct contact with patients until their background check is cleared.
Can A Director of Patient Care Services (DPCS) Also Be An Administrator?
In California, a few requirements for a Director of Patient Care Services (DCPS) overlap with the requirements for an administrator. Because of this, most agencies will prioritize hiring a DPCS, and then appoint the DPCS as the administrator. This may differ depending on the state in which your agency is located.
However, it’s important to note it’s rare for this to work the other way around. It is much harder for an administrator to qualify as a DPCS, because a DPCS has more requirements than an administrator. While a DPCS almost always qualifies to be an administrator, an administrator rarely qualifies to be a DPCS.
What Do I Need to Know About My Administrator Designee Need and Is One Required?
An administrator designee is absolutely required to remain compliant with CMS Conditions of Participation (CoPs). An administrator designee is another person with the same qualifications as an administrator, who functions as a backup for your agency. If something were to happen to your admin and they suddenly became unavailable (such as vacation, illness or death), you’re protected and compliant by having an admin designee ready to fill in.
Similar to how your DPCS qualifies as an administrator, they also qualify as an administrator designee. However, your DPCS cannot be both your administrator and administrator designee. An employee cannot be the designee for any position they currently hold, because they can’t be a back up for themselves. This is true for all major leadership positions throughout your agency, including DPCS and hospice Medical Directors.
What If I’m Still Struggling to Find an Administrator?
With this clear and concise checklist for any HH or HSP administrator in California, hopefully you feel a bit more at ease about your hiring journey. But as you know, there are many more regulations and rules to follow as you’re starting up your agency.
If you’re looking for an administrator, there’s a good chance you’ll have a few more questions about surveys, requirements for other employees, and Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI). You can find articles on each of these topics and more, specifically built for you and your business, on our website.
*This article was written in consultation with Mariam Treystman & Kelly McCarthy.
