Mock Survey or Compliance Consultant: What Does Your Home Health or Hospice Agency Need?

If you’re a Medicare-certified home health or hospice agency, you already know this: surveys aren’t getting easier.

What’s harder to recognize is that preparing for them isn’t just about checking boxes. It’s about deciding what kind of support your agency really needs, and this is where most owners get stuck.

Do you need a mock survey? Or do you need a compliance consultant?

At The Home Health Consultant, we’ve worked with agencies that tried one, both, or neither. And here’s what we’ve seen: the right support model doesn’t just prepare you for survey, it transforms how your agency operates every day.

In this article, you’ll learn:

• What a mock survey consultant actually does
• The limitations of mock survey consulting
• What a compliance consultant actually does
• The key differences between mock survey and compliance consultants
• How to know which consultant is best for your agency’s current stage
• How to choose based on long-term outcomes—not just short-term wins

What Is a Mock Survey Consultant?

A mock survey consultant helps you simulate a real survey. They typically come in for a few days, review your records, observe operations, and report back with findings. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a trial run before the real thing.

Mock consultants will often:

• Identify deficiencies across clinical, HR, or administrative areas
• Walk you through the survey process
• Help you “see” what a surveyor might cite

In many cases, mock surveys are extremely helpful. Especially if:

• Your in-house team is kept up-to-date and trained regularly
• You’ve been staying on top of your compliance systems
• You want a final check before the accreditor walks in

While perfect for some agencies, mock surveys do have limits.

What are the Limitations of Mock Surveys for Home Health Agencies?

Mock surveys are a snapshot in time.

You’ll get feedback on how things look that week. But you won’t get a system for how to stay compliant next month, next quarter, or next year.

While some consultants offer follow-up advice, many don’t stick around to help implement the fixes. This is not a shortcoming on their part; it’s simply the nature of the type of consulting. 

Regardless, the responsibility is left with your team to close the gaps and maintain changes. If your staff is stretched thin or not fully trained, those fixes don’t last.

So, if your goal is just to pass an upcoming survey, a mock survey can be great.

But if your goal is long-term compliance, risk reduction, and stronger outcomes, mock surveys are only one part of the picture.

What Is a Compliance Consultant?

A compliance consultant helps you build and maintain daily compliance systems across all departments. It’s not a one-time visit. It’s a framework.

At The Home Health Consultant, our administrative compliance program includes:

• Ongoing evaluation of Conditions of Participation (CoPs)
• Real-time detection of risks before surveyors find them
• Full implementation of compliance systems (if they don’t already exist)
• Accountability check-ins to ensure nothing falls through the cracks
• A rolling, survey-focused review process built into your Annual Agency Evaluation

As part of that annual evaluation, we assess many of the same elements a mock survey would but over time. Rather than conducting a one-time mock survey each year, we embed those checks into your monthly and quarterly compliance work. Over the course of the year, this gives you a deeper and more integrated mock-survey-like review.

In other words: we don’t just identify problems. We help you find the problems,  fix the problems, and keep them fixed.

Mock Survey vs. Compliance Consulting: What’s the Real Difference?

The table below shows how mock survey consultants and ongoing compliance consultants differ in various aspects. 

Now that we’ve spelled out the differences, we can break down what kind of consultant your agency may need.

Does Your Agency Need a Compliance Consultant or a Mock Survey Consultant?

Ask yourself two questions:

• Do we have the internal team and systems to maintain compliance on our own?

• • If Yes: You’ll benefit from a mock survey. It can act as a final check to catch issues before survey without the need for ongoing support.

• • If No: You’ll need more than a one-time review. A compliance consultant will help you build the systems and habits your team doesn’t currently have and guide your agency until it does.

• Are we looking for a one-time prep—or a long-term compliance strategy?

• If One-Time Prep: A mock survey is the way to go. This will give you insight into what a surveyor might cite and how to fix it, assuming you have the resources in-house to follow through.
• If Long-Term Strategy: You’re going to want to start looking for a compliance consultant. A compliance consultant installs the infrastructure your agency needs to stay compliant every day, not just the week before survey. It’s the difference between reacting and being ready.

Which Type of Consultant Is Best for Long-Term Compliance?

Many agency owners have relied on mock surveys and for good reason. They can be a helpful part of survey preparation, especially when your internal systems are already strong.

But mock surveys are just one tool. Lasting compliance takes more than a snapshot. It takes structure, consistency, and support that extends beyond survey week.

At The Home Health Consultant, we specialize in compliance consulting—so yes, we’re biased. But that bias comes from firsthand experience. We've seen agencies thrive when they stop chasing last-minute fixes and start building daily compliance habits.

Whether you choose a mock survey or a compliance partner, make sure it fits your agency's goals, not just your next deadline. 

And if you're ready to stop prepping and start performing, we're here to help you build a system that lasts.

*This article was written in consultation with Mariam Treystman.

*Disclaimer: The content provided in this article is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, legal, financial, or professional advice. No consultant-client relationship is established by engaging with this content. You should seek the advice of a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding any legal or business matters. The consultant assumes no liability for any actions taken based on the information provided.