Top 5 challenges facing home healthcare professionals

Home health care is a growing industry. But despite tremendous growth, there are disadvantages to working in health care. If you open a homecare business, you may need to overcome many of the challenges faced by healthcare workers and agencies to make your business a success.

Here are five healthcare industry issues that challenge home healthcare professionals and ways to help protect your business.

1. Negligence lawsuits

Lawsuits are an unfortunate part of working in the healthcare industry. Negligence claims can quickly become expensive and damaging to a home health care provider’s reputation. Even if you’re not at fault, allegations made by an unhappy patient or their family could end your business dreams.

Professional Liability insurance, a type of home healthcare insurance, is one way to help manage the fallout of negligence claims and lawsuits. It can protect professional service providers from potentially devastating financial damages resulting from alleged negligence or error in the delivery of your services.

A Professional Liability policy can help you overcome the challenges of handling a negligence lawsuit. It can provide much-needed funds to pay for legal fees and other unplanned expenses that can disrupt cash flow and take money away from your business.

2. Long work hours

Homecare workers often work long hours. You may need to visit several patients in a single day or provide overnight care to some patients. This can be tiring for staff and contribute to injuries and mistakes.

Staffing shortages are a significant issue in the healthcare industry. Keeping your business adequately staffed is essential to providing high-quality care. While you may be itching to grow your home care business, slow and steady growth may be preferable and more sustainable when it comes to hiring new home care aides.

3. Burnout

A form of exhaustion, burnout is widespread among home care workers. When you or your staff feel overwhelmed or constantly overworked, then burnout may not be far behind. Burnout can cause mistakes, injuries and illness—major hazards for your home health agency.

Keeping your business fully staffed and allowing employees proper breaks and time off can help combat burnout. Providing staff with proper support and the ability to bring their concerns to you without repercussions may also be helpful.

Workers’ Compensation insurance can also be helpful for managing injuries and illnesses that result from staff burnout. It protects you against medical expenses and lawsuits that can arise from employee workplace injuries and illnesses. It could also pay lost wages as a result of the work injuries that an employee sustains.

4. Low salaries

Home health and personal care aides earn relatively low salaries in much of the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an average yearly salary of $30,930 in 2022. Low pay can make it challenging to find and retain good staff.

Paying your home health aides and personal carers well is one way to overcome the challenge of low salaries. However, this may not be possible for every home health business. You may need to come up with creative ways to reward your health care workers, such as providing extra days off or offering a better health insurance package.

5. Cyber security

The healthcare industry is a favorite target for cybercriminals. Even small home care providers are in danger due to the amount of personal data they store about patients. If your home health agency is hacked or breached, it could be devastating for your business.

There are many steps that you might take to overcome the challenge of cyberattacks. Learning to spot common attacks and installing anti-virus software on your computers and devices are good places to start. You may also work with an IT specialist who can help secure your system.

Protecting your home care business

There are many challenges faced by healthcare workers and businesses. Taking steps to protect your home care business and staff could help you avoid potentially expensive events that can devastate your finances.

Home healthcare insurance is one way to manage common healthcare industry issues. Along with Professional Liability and Workers’ Compensation, you may also consider other types of coverage like a Business Owner’s Policy or General Liability insurance. Each policy provides essential protection that can cover unexpected expenses, including legal fees and business interruption costs.

Ready to overcome the challenges of running a home health agency with insurance? BizInsure has got you covered.

Compare coverage from top-rated insurers in minutes and get covered instantly—online or over the phone. Get your free quotes today and start protecting your agency with home healthcare insurance.