CovenantCare at Home Named One of the Nation’s “Elite” Home Health Agencies

July 30, 2009
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Valerie Budach
CovenantCare at Home
1-773-878-4371 (office)
1-773-850-9952 (mobile)

CovenantCare at Home Ranked “Elite”
by Medicare’s Home Health Compare Statistics

Turlock Home Health Agency Earns Top State and National Scores for All Quality and Clinical Categories

Turlock CA – July 30, 2009 – CovenantCare at Home of Turlock, an affiliate of a national, Medicare-certified home health and private duty agency, was awarded the 2008 “HomeCare Elite™” ranking by OCS, Inc., the leading provider of healthcare informatics, and DecisionHealth, publisher of homecare’s most respected independent newsletter, Home Health Line.

“Just as hospitals monitor the overall satisfaction of their patients and quality measures, we monitor the satisfaction and outcomes of our patients and clients,” said Joseph D. Haughney, president of CovenantCare at Home. “Our California agency, which is affiliated with Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock as well as with Covenant (retirement) Village of Turlock, provides exceptional skilled and personal assistance care for individuals in their own homes.”

The HomeCare Elite is the definitive compilation of the most successful Medicare-certified home health care providers in the U.S. This review recognizes the Top 25 percent of agencies based on an analysis of quality outcomes, quality improvement, and financial performance. The data used for this analysis is compiled from publicly-available information and is the only performance recognition of its kind in the rapidly-growing home health care industry.

In addition to measuring CovenantCare at Home’s quality outcomes, improvement, and financial performance, the agency’s performance is compared to other Home Care agencies throughout the State of California as well as nationwide.

On a state and national basis, CovenantCare at Home led home health agencies in quality and performance outcomes. For example (This information comes from the Home Health Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) during the time period January 2008 – December 2008):

Percentage of patients who get better at walking and moving around:
This is the average for all Home Health agencies in the United States 45%

This is the average for all Home Health Agencies in the State of California 45%

CovenantCare at Home 52%

Percentage of patients who get better at getting in and out of bed:
This is the average for all Home Health agencies in the United States 54%

This is the average for all Home Health Agencies in the State of California 54%

CovenantCare at Home 63%

Percentage of patients who have less pain when moving around:
This is the average for all Home Health agencies in the United States 63%

This is the average for all Home Health Agencies in the State of California 66%

CovenantCare at Home 74%

CovenantCare at Home Ranked “Elite”…page three

Percentage of patients who stay at home after the end of a Home Health Care episode:
This is the average for all Home Health agencies in the United States 68%

This is the average for all Home Health Agencies in the State of California 71%

CovenantCare at Home 82%

“While these outcomes are important, our goal remains the enrichment of an individual’s life – at their home – for as long as possible,” said Dwayne Gabrielson, executive director of Covenant Village of Turlock. “The addition of CovenantCare at Home to our Covenant family means that the residents of Turlock and surrounding communities as well as the residents of our Covenant Village community have access to the delivery of exceptional home health services. It is a beneficial situation for everyone involved.”

CovenantCare at Home is a licensed Medicare-certified Home Health and Private Duty (personal assistance) services provider. It evolved from one of the original Covenant Church institutions…Chicago’s Home of Mercy. The Home of Mercy’s ministries expanded on a national basis – to include hospitals, enabling residents and children’s homes, and retirement communities with independent, assisted, and skilled facilities – and, most recently, CovenantCare at Home. It is affiliated with the national Covenant Church and its outreach ministry of Covenant Retirement Communities.

For more information about CovenantCare at Home in Turlock, please call 209-520-5200 or visit www.CovenantCareatHome.org.