PICC and Central Line Care at Home in Los Angeles
Going home with a PICC line, midline, central line or implanted port means your vascular access still needs proper care. At Ideal Choice Home Health, our skilled nurses provide physician-ordered dressing changes, flushing, site assessments and patient education in the comfort of your home.
- Your doctor orders careWe’ll help get the referral
- We check your coverageMedicare typically pays 100%
- Care starts at homeNursing visits often within 48 hours
We care for lines that have already been placed, including PICC lines, midlines, tunneled central lines and implanted ports. Our nurses also perform PICC and midline removal when ordered and clinically appropriate. We do not place PICC lines or ports.
For medications administered through these lines, visit our IV infusion therapy page.
What Line Care at Home Includes
- Assessing the insertion site and vascular access device during nursing visits, as clinically appropriate, including checking external catheter length and, for PICC lines, upper-arm circumference when indicated
- Performing sterile dressing changes according to physician orders and applicable infection-prevention protocols, including addressing dressings that become wet, loose or soiled
- Changing caps and connectors as ordered
- Flushing vascular access devices according to physician orders and appropriate protocols
- Drawing blood from a PICC or implanted port when ordered by your physician and clinically appropriate
- Accessing and de-accessing implanted ports when ordered and performed by appropriately trained nurses, including flushing and dressing changes when the port is accessed
- Removing PICC lines and midlines at home when ordered by your physician and clinically appropriate
- Monitoring for signs of complications, including redness, swelling, warmth, drainage, pain, arm swelling, fever, chills or resistance when flushing, and communicating concerns to your physician
- Teaching patients and caregivers how to protect their vascular access device, keep the site dry, recognize warning signs and know when to contact their care team — including never forcing a flush when there is resistance; contact your nurse or treating clinician for instructions
- Coordinating line-care supplies and communicating with the physician's office and specialty infusion pharmacy when applicable
Nursing visits and line-care procedures follow your physician's orders, clinical needs and authorized home health plan of care.
Lines We Care For
Our nurses provide care for:
- PICC lines (peripherally inserted central catheters): dressing changes, flushing, site assessments, blood draws and removal when ordered
- Midlines: dressing changes, flushing, site assessments and removal when ordered
- Tunneled central lines: ordered maintenance, dressing changes, flushing and site monitoring
- Implanted ports: accessing, de-accessing, flushing, blood draws and dressing care when accessed, as ordered
We maintain vascular access devices that have already been placed. We do not place PICC lines, midlines or implanted ports.
Our nurses can also start peripheral IVs at home when ordered. Learn more on our IV infusion therapy page.
Don't see your line type listed? Contact us to discuss your care needs.
How Line Care Fits With the Rest of Your Care
Vascular access care is coordinated with the other services in your home health plan of care.
When medications are administered through your line, our nurses can also provide physician-ordered IV infusion therapy. Your skilled nursing visits may include medication education and other medically necessary nursing services.
For related services, see wound care and catheter, drain and ostomy care.
More Than a Line-Care Visit
Caring for your vascular access device is only one part of your care.
If your line or medical condition changes, our nurses communicate with your physician and coordinate the next steps. When infusion therapy is involved, we also work with your specialty infusion pharmacy.
Our goal is to keep your care connected, with clear communication between you, your family and your healthcare team.
PICC and Central Line Care at Home vs. Other Kinds of Care
Home health vascular access care is skilled medical care provided through scheduled nursing visits under a physician-authorized plan of care.
Unlike outpatient line-care appointments, home health nursing brings care to eligible patients in their own homes.
Home health is different from nonmedical caregiving and does not replace your physician's appointments or ongoing medical oversight.
Home health is not 24-hour care. Nurses visit according to your plan of care, and patients or caregivers receive education about caring for the line between visits.
When included in your home health plan of care, a home health aide may also assist with bathing, grooming, dressing and personal hygiene.
For Referring Physicians and Discharge Planners
To help coordinate PICC and central line care at home, please provide:
- Vascular access type, insertion date and location
- Current dressing-change, flushing and cap-change orders
- Port-access instructions, when applicable
- Laboratory orders when blood draws are needed
- PICC or midline removal orders, when applicable
- Specialty infusion pharmacy information and medication orders if infusion therapy is also required
Our intake team can help clarify missing information and coordinate with your office.
Ideal Choice provides maintenance and removal of appropriate vascular access devices but does not place PICC lines, midlines or implanted ports.
Physicians can access our referral form on the physicians page.
Ideal Choice accepts completed physician referral forms and supporting clinical documents by:
- Fax: (747) 877-8441
- Approved secure email: referrals@idealchoicehomehealth.com
Phone (747) 877-8440 is for referral questions and coordination.
Do not send patient information through ordinary email, website forms or chat.
Serving Sherman Oaks and Greater Los Angeles
Ideal Choice Home Health is located at 14852 Ventura Blvd, Suite 207, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403.
We primarily serve Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, as well as parts of Ventura and Orange counties.
Call to confirm service in your ZIP code. Learn about our home health care in Sherman Oaks.
Do you place PICC lines or ports?
No. PICC lines, midlines and implanted ports are placed in a hospital or outpatient setting. Our nurses provide care for devices that have already been placed. We can also remove PICC lines and midlines at home when ordered and clinically appropriate.
Can I shower with a PICC or central line?
Your nurse will explain how to protect the line and keep the dressing dry while showering. Do not submerge the line or insertion site in a bath, pool or hot tub unless your treating clinician specifically permits it. Contact your care team if the dressing becomes wet, loose or soiled.
How often will my nurse change the dressing or flush the line?
Your physician's orders, the type of vascular access device and your clinical needs determine the appropriate care schedule. Your nurse follows the authorized plan of care and applicable clinical protocols.
Can your nurses draw blood from my PICC or implanted port?
Yes. Our nurses can draw blood from PICC lines and implanted ports when ordered by your physician and clinically appropriate.
Can your nurses remove PICC lines or midlines at home?
Yes. Our nurses perform PICC and midline removal at home when ordered by your physician and clinically appropriate.
What should I do if my PICC or central line becomes difficult to flush?
Do not force the flush. Contact your nurse or treating clinician for instructions. Report any new pain, swelling, redness, drainage, fever or other concerning changes.
Who qualifies for PICC or central line care at home?
Under Original Medicare, patients generally must be homebound, need qualifying intermittent skilled nursing or therapy, and meet Medicare's certification and plan-of-care requirements. Having a PICC or other vascular access device does not automatically establish eligibility for Medicare home health services. Visit our insurance page for additional information.
Do you administer IV antibiotics or other infusions through these lines?
Yes, when ordered and clinically appropriate. Our IV infusion therapy page explains the infusion services we provide.
Will you communicate with my physician?
Yes. Our nurses report relevant changes in your vascular access device or condition and coordinate with your physician and other members of your care team.
How to Get Started
A physician's order is required.
Ask your physician or hospital discharge planner to refer you to Ideal Choice Home Health, or contact us and we'll help coordinate with your physician.
We work to arrange care promptly once we receive the referral and eligibility is confirmed.
Your care coordinator will contact you to schedule your first nursing visit.
Call or text (747) 877-8440. Our office is open Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM. For a medical emergency, call 911. We accept Original Medicare and also work with the VA and select Medicare Advantage plans on a case-by-case basis. Contact us to verify coverage. See insurance.