Director of Home Health Operations

Position Summary

The Director of Home Health Operations is responsible for providing overall leadership and oversight of the day-to-day operations of Graceful Aging Home Health Care. This position serves as a senior leader within the agency and is responsible for ensuring that clinical services, administrative operations, staffing, regulatory compliance, quality assurance, and patient care activities are effectively coordinated and carried out in accordance with agency policies and applicable federal and state requirements.
The Director will work closely with the Administrator, clinical leadership, field staff, administrative staff, physicians, and other healthcare providers to ensure the agency delivers high-quality, compliant, patient-centered home health services.
Because this position provides significant oversight of clinical operations, the Director must be a licensed Registered Nurse with demonstrated supervisory and leadership experience. Previous experience in Medicare-certified home health is highly preferred.

Reporting Relationship

•  Reports to the Agency Administrator/Owner and works collaboratively with the Director of Nursing/Clinical Manager and other agency leadership.

Essential Responsibilities

Agency Operations and Leadership

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the home health agency and ensure efficient coordination between clinical and administrative functions.

• Provide leadership, direction, and support to clinical, administrative, and field personnel.

• Assist with the development and implementation of short-term and long-term operational goals for the agency.

• Establish clear expectations, accountability, and workflows for agency staff.

• Hold and participate in regular management and staff meetings to promote communication and effective agency operations.

• Identify operational concerns, barriers, and risks and develop appropriate corrective actions.

• Ensure adequate staffing is maintained to meet patient needs and agency operational requirements.

• Participate in recruitment, interviewing, selection, orientation, onboarding, supervision, and evaluation of agency personnel.

• Promote a professional, collaborative, accountable, and patient-focused organizational culture.

• Serve as a resource to staff and provide guidance regarding operational and clinical concerns.

Clinical Oversight

• Provide oversight and direction for the agency's clinical operations.

• Work collaboratively with the Clinical Manager/Director of Nursing to ensure the delivery of safe, appropriate, and compliant patient care.

• Monitor admissions, resumptions of care, recertifications, transfers, and discharges to ensure timely and appropriate completion.

• Oversee the admission process and assist with determining whether referrals are appropriate for the agency based on clinical needs, staffing capacity, and available resources.

• Ensure plans of care are developed, updated, implemented, and followed appropriately.

• Monitor patient care needs and ensure necessary changes in services or plans of care are communicated and implemented.

• Assist in resolving clinical issues and serve as a resource for nurses, therapists, home health aides, and other clinical personnel.

• Ensure appropriate coordination of care among agency staff, physicians, other healthcare providers, patients, families, and community resources.

• Ensure changes in patient condition and other significant clinical concerns are communicated to the appropriate practitioner.

• Assist with clinical case review and monitoring of high-risk or complex patients.

• Provide clinical guidance in emergency or urgent patient-care situations as appropriate.

• Participate in patient care when necessary to support agency operations and continuity of care.

Regulatory Compliance and Quality Assurance

• Ensure agency operations are conducted in accordance with applicable federal, state, Medicare, accreditation, and other regulatory requirements.

• Maintain working knowledge of home health Conditions of Participation, agency policies, state requirements, accreditation standards, and professional standards of practice.

• Assist with maintaining agency readiness for surveys, audits, inspections, and accreditation activities.

• Oversee implementation of agency policies and procedures and ensure staff understand and follow applicable requirements.

• Participate in the agency's Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program.

• Review trends involving hospitalizations, falls, infections, complaints, medication discrepancies, missed visits, documentation deficiencies, and other quality indicators.

• Participate in development and monitoring of performance improvement initiatives and corrective action plans.

• Ensure identified deficiencies are addressed in a timely manner and appropriate follow-up occurs.

• Conduct or oversee clinical and operational audits as assigned.

• Ensure required records, reports, documentation, and supporting materials are complete, accurate, and maintained appropriately.

• Monitor compliance with physician orders, plans of care, medication reconciliation requirements, visit frequencies, discharge requirements, and other clinical documentation standards.

Staff Supervision and Development

• Provide direct or indirect supervision to clinical and administrative team members as assigned.

• Monitor employee performance and provide coaching, feedback, counseling, and corrective action when appropriate.

• Conduct or participate in employee performance evaluations.

• Ensure staff receive appropriate orientation, education, in-service training, and ongoing professional development.

• Identify training needs based on audits, performance trends, regulatory requirements, and agency needs.

• Promote professional growth and provide guidance to employees in meeting performance expectations.

• Assist staff in resolving work-related concerns and operational barriers.

• Ensure appropriate delegation of responsibilities based on employee qualifications, licensure, competency, and scope of practice.

Patient Care and Service Delivery

• Promote delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care consistent with each patient's individualized plan of care.

• Monitor patient satisfaction, complaints, grievances, and service concerns and ensure timely resolution.

• Communicate with patients and families as necessary regarding clinical concerns, service delivery, complaints, or changes in care.

• Ensure appropriate use of community resources and outside healthcare providers when necessary to meet patient needs.

• Monitor continuity and coordination of services across disciplines.

• Assist with discharge planning and ensure patients are appropriately transitioned when services end or a higher level of care is required.

• Ensure patient rights, confidentiality, dignity, and safety are maintained throughout service delivery.

Administrative and Business Operations

• Collaborate with agency leadership regarding staffing, census growth, referral development, financial performance, and operational planning.

• Monitor agency productivity, staffing utilization, scheduling, and service capacity.

• Assist in evaluating operational expenses and appropriate use of agency resources.

• Review agency reports and performance data and make recommendations for improvement.

• Maintain effective working relationships with physicians, hospitals, referral sources, community organizations, vendors, contractors, and other healthcare partners.

• Represent Graceful Aging Home Health Care professionally in interactions with outside organizations.

• Assist with development and implementation of new programs and services as the agency grows.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Administrator/Owner.
 

Required Qualifications

• Current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license.

• Minimum of five (5) years of professional nursing experience.

• Minimum of two (2) years of supervisory, management, or healthcare leadership experience.

• Demonstrated experience supervising clinical personnel.

• Strong knowledge of clinical operations, patient care standards, and healthcare compliance requirements.

• Ability to successfully complete all required background checks, health screenings, and employment requirements.

Highly Preferred Qualifications

• Previous leadership or management experience within a Medicare-certified home health agency.

• Previous experience as a Director of Nursing, Clinical Manager, Home Health Administrator, Branch Director, Director of Operations, or similar leadership role.

• Working knowledge of Medicare Conditions of Participation and home health survey requirements.

• Experience with OASIS, plans of care, physician orders, recertifications, discharges, and home health clinical documentation.

• Experience with CHAP, ACHC, Joint Commission, or another home health accreditation organization.

• Experience with QAPI, chart audits, survey preparation, corrective action plans, and regulatory compliance.

• Experience managing interdisciplinary home health teams.

• Experience with Axxess or another home health electronic medical record system.

Employment Requirements

• Current RN license in good standing.

• Successful criminal background check.

• Negative drug screen

• Current TB screening and other required health documentation.

• Current CPR certification.

• Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel as required for agency operations.