Owning and operating a home health staffing agency is no mean feat. It requires dedication, diligence, timeliness and attention to detail. It is a profitable business, but let no one tell you that it is an easy business. As much as it is a business, my bottom line has always been that the client’s quality of life comes first. Treat your clients well, and the finances will sort themselves. Sounds cliché, right? Maybe a little risky? In this business, not at all. I’m a firm believer that treating other people with dignity and respect is an unwritten commandment.

I always advise anyone who wants to start an agency to first get to understand the nuances of caregiving. Not everyone knows someone in this industry - and if you do, you’re lucky. Please use those networks to learn as much as you can, and as much as they’re willing to share.

• Ask questions - how did they start their business?
• What motivates them on a day to day basis?
• How do they get their clients? What’s their client referral model? If not, someone once said that experience is the best teacher.
• Go out and volunteer in retirement communities or even get a part time job in an agency if need be.

You do not necessarily have to become a full time caregiver, but investing the time to understand the caregiving process will shape your business ethics and structure.

The benefits of this are tiered. On a personal level:-

1. It will educate you on the demands of the job.
2. It’ll educate you on your expectations for your caregivers.
3. It’ll educate you on the expectations of the family.
4. It’ll educate you of the caregivers expectations of you and of the client’s family.

From a business perspective, with your accounting and nursing teams, you will then be able to:

1.  Have a better idea of service pricing depending on the level/amount of care.
2.  Have a better idea of your employee/ caregiver compensation.
3. Get an idea on how other agencies are run so that you can cut any overheads or procedures that you might have run into unnecessarily.
4. Be better informed on how to explain the caregiving process to family members. This will give you confidence when talking about your craft and this put the families at ease because they’ll know that you understand what is at stake.

Your biggest asset will be your clients. If you start with one, two, or several, the quality of care will determine their perspective of you and their opinion of the company. Nothing is a better marketer than word of mouth. Happy clients will tell their relatives, friends and neighbors about your agency without you having to spend a dime on advertising.

I will do another article on keeping your clients and families happy later so please be sure to subscribe and stay tuned!
Finally, be ready to roll your sleeves and do any and all kinds of tasks in the caregiving process. Again, this doesn’t have to be your full time job but understanding the rigors of the job will allow you to become a better boss and a better business owner.

I look forward to hearing about your home health agency journey, and I hope that this tip helps you in your business structure and growth.