Skilled Nursing at Home in Los Angeles
Coming home after a hospital stay, a surgery or a change in your health can bring a lot of new things to manage: new medications, new instructions and new questions. In-home skilled nursing brings a licensed nurse to you. Your nurse follows your physician's orders, teaches you and your family what you need to know, and keeps your physician informed along the way. Skilled nursing is part of your home health plan of care, so it is coordinated with therapy and any other services you need.
- 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
What In-Home Skilled Nursing Includes
- Health assessments, including vital signs, symptoms and changes in your condition
- Reviewing your medications with you and teaching what each one is for, how to take it and which side effects to watch for
- Teaching you and your family or caregivers about your condition, warning signs and when to call the doctor
- Teaching to help you manage chronic conditions such as heart failure, COPD and diabetes, including a diet your physician prescribes
- Diabetes care and teaching, including blood sugar checks and insulin, as ordered
- Injections, as ordered by your physician
- Nursing care after surgery or a hospital stay
- Ostomy care and teaching
- Respiratory care and teaching for lung conditions
- Blood thinner (anticoagulation) monitoring and teaching
- Nursing education and support during recovery
- Teaching for you and your caregivers on tube feeding
- Lab draws, when your physician orders them as part of your home health plan of care
- Wound care, including surgical wounds and pressure sores
- IV infusion therapy, such as IV hydration and IV antibiotics
- PICC and central line care
- Catheter and drain care, including PleurX and other prescribed drainage systems
- Reporting changes in your condition to your physician and following through on the next steps
- And more, based on your needs and your physician's orders
Conditions We Help With
Our nurses often care for patients recovering from or living with:
- A recent hospital stay or surgery
- Heart failure and other heart conditions
- COPD and other lung conditions
- Diabetes
- New or changed medications, or several medications to keep track of
- A new diagnosis, or a long-term condition that has become harder to manage
- Surgical wounds and pressure sores (see wound care)
- Infections treated with IV medications (see IV infusion therapy)
- Catheter, ostomy or drain needs, and bowel or bladder issues (see catheter and drain care)
Don't see your condition listed? Call us and we'll talk it through with you.
Managing a Long-Term Condition at Home
When you're living with a condition like heart failure, COPD or diabetes, the days between doctor visits matter. Your nurse helps you understand your medications, recognize early warning signs and know when to call your doctor, following the plan of care your physician approves. Family members and caregivers are welcome to take part, so everyone at home knows what to watch for.
More Than a Nursing Visit
Nursing visits are only part of your care. When you call during office hours, you reach our team directly. You have a care coordinator to go to with questions, and we keep communication quick and clear. When your condition changes, we report it to your physician and follow through. Your nurse coordinates with your physician, therapists and care team, so everyone stays informed and your care stays connected. You and your family have a clear point of contact.
Skilled Nursing at Home vs. Other Kinds of Care
"Skilled nursing" can mean different things, so here's how home health nursing compares:
- A skilled nursing facility (SNF) is a place you stay for round-the-clock care. Home health skilled nursing comes to you in your own home through scheduled, part-time visits.
- Non-medical home care helps with daily tasks and companionship. Home health nursing is medical care that a licensed nurse provides under your physician's orders. When included in your home health plan of care, a home health aide may also assist with bathing, grooming, dressing and personal hygiene.
- Home health isn't 24-hour care. Your nurse visits on the schedule in your plan of care, and your family or caregivers continue your care between visits, with our team a phone call away.
If home health isn't the right fit, we'll tell you honestly when you call.
Serving Sherman Oaks and Greater Los Angeles
Our office is at 14852 Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks. We primarily serve Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, as well as parts of Ventura and Orange counties. Call to confirm your ZIP code. Learn about our home health care in Sherman Oaks.
What does a home health nurse do?
A home health nurse checks on your health, reviews your medications, provides the treatments your physician orders and teaches you and your family how to manage your care at home. Your nurse also reports changes in your condition to your physician.
Who qualifies for skilled nursing 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. Learn what homebound means on our insurance page, or call us and we'll help you and your doctor figure out whether you qualify.
Can home health start with nursing alone?
Yes. When skilled nursing is medically necessary and ordered by your physician, it can start home health on its own. Therapy or other services can be added if you need them.
How soon can nursing start?
We work to arrange care promptly once we receive the referral and eligibility is confirmed.
How often will my nurse visit?
Your visits are set out in your plan of care, based on your needs and your physician's orders. As your condition changes, your physician can adjust the plan.
How long does skilled nursing at home last?
It's based on medical necessity. Home health is certified in 60-day periods. That is a certification period, not a guaranteed length of care. Some patients need fewer weeks, and continued care depends on eligibility and medical necessity. If you still need skilled care at the end of a period, your physician can recertify it.
Can a home health nurse draw my blood?
Blood draws may be provided when ordered and appropriate under the home health plan of care. Under Medicare, blood draws alone do not establish eligibility for home health services.
Is skilled nursing at home the same as a skilled nursing facility?
No. A skilled nursing facility is a place you stay. Home health skilled nursing is part-time care from a nurse who visits you at home.
Will you keep my doctor informed?
Yes. We report changes in your condition to your physician and follow through, so your doctor knows how you're doing between office visits.
Is skilled nursing at home covered?
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 for coverage details.
How to Get Started
A physician's order is required. Ask your doctor or hospital discharge planner to refer you to Ideal Choice Home Health, or call us and we'll help coordinate with your physician. Once we have the order and eligibility is confirmed, we work to arrange care promptly. Your care coordinator contacts you to schedule your first nursing visit. Physicians can find 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.
Call or text (747) 877-8440. Our office is open Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM. 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.