According to the 2022 Home Health Care News Outlook Survey and Report, staffing is the number one most pressing challenge facing the senior care industry today. While this is a cause for alarm for some, franchise owners are finding themselves much more able to secure top talent. Owners of home healthcare franchises don’t have to face the same kind of staffing uncertainties as independent agents because of the robust recruitment and screening systems set in place.
Boost Home Healthcare franchisees will employ a variety of medical professionals to provide services to patients who are elderly, disabled, or too ill to care for themselves. Because your staff will need to have a more advanced skill set, Boost offers complete recruitment training with best practices and hiring strategies to recruit the most compassionate, qualified team.
Let’s take a top-down look at a few key roles to consider.
Administrators
As the owner and governing body of your franchise, you’ll need a strong administrative team to successfully run your business. A robust administrative staff can help you manage finances, revenue flow and leads.
Director of Patient Care Services
A Director of Patient Care Services (DPCS) combines insightful nursing knowledge with strong administrative skills. Your DPCS will help you ensure that all aspects of patient care run smoothly, maintaining a high standard of caregiver performance and compliance with local and national regulations. They can also evaluate employees and supervise patient admissions, all while operating within and managing a budget.
Operations and Office Staff
As you grow, you may need to hire additional support staff to manage various aspects of administration. Payroll managers, billing specialists, and clerical workers are an essential part of your team. Staffing coordinators, case managers, and clinical supervisors may also become necessary as you expand and need to delegate more tasks.
Agencies of different sizes will have different capabilities for filling these roles. When and how many operations staff you hire depends on your sales per full-time employee ratio, leadership style, and structure. Boost Home Healthcare’s extensive support teams can help you determine whether you need a helping hand to keep the engine of your company running smoothly.
Caregivers
The foundation of your home healthcare business is your caregivers. As a home healthcare franchisee, you’ll need a variety of skilled caregivers who are licensed to provide medical care and have extensive training in specialized fields.
Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Home Health Aides
Many of the caregivers you’ll need are nurses who have completed 50-75 hours of nursing education, depending on the state. Registered nurses (RNs) can provide direct medical care to patients, such as:
- Wound care
- Medication administration and monitoring
- IV injections
- Developing care and wellness plans
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) typically provide assistance to RNs. They are licensed to perform many of the same duties as an RN, only they must do so under supervision.
Home Health Aides (HHAs) provide assistance by:
- Turning or moving patients
- Gathering medical supplies
- Bathing patients
- Grooming patients by brushing their hair & teeth, shaving them, etc.
- Feeding patients and documenting their food and liquid intake
- Answering patient calls
- Documenting information
- Cleaning rooms and bed linens
- Stocking supplies
- Assisting with some medical procedures
- Safety procedures
- Transporting patients
Because HHAs work directly with patients and nurses, they have many duties, which are often supervised by RNs. They help nurses take care of patients’ direct care needs, assisting with many physical and complex tasks involved with care. Because of the nature of the role, they may also be called Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), nurse’s aides, patient care assistants, or nursing assistants.
Skilled Therapists and Social Workers
Many of the patients who use home healthcare require specialized services such as occupational therapy and physical therapy. These services require caregivers who are trained and licensed to perform those duties.
Additionally, you may need medical social workers on your team, who can help patients and families process and cope with the emotional journey of aging and illness. They can advocate for patients and their families, helping them find community resources, navigate the healthcare system, and achieve optimal outcomes.
Later On: Sales & Marketing
Many home healthcare franchisees wonder if they should hire in-house marketers or sales representatives to seek out referrals. Franchise owners may be torn whether to hire this additional staff early on to help grow the business, or to wait until they’ve established a more solid foundation.
According to a Home Care Pulse report, industry leaders tended to hire a sales rep early, when they were between $0 and $249,000 in revenue. That said, many franchisees find that the robust marketing support provided by Boost Home Healthcare and its parent company, Best Life Brands, is more than enough to get started on the right foot. Hiring for these roles later on in the life of the company may be a more natural progression for some.
Deciding What’s Right for Your Home Healthcare Business
The truth is, there’s no one magic number when it comes to how many employees your home healthcare business needs to hire. Each community is different, and you’ll have different needs as your franchise grows and develops. It all depends on your unique circumstances, leadership style and goals.
Thankfully, when you choose to franchise with Boost, you gain access to the industry’s best and brightest business minds. We’ll be there from day one to guide you with insights and advice as you strike out toward success, taking the guesswork out of stellar staffing and so much more. When you’re ready to start a flourishing future with purpose, reach out to Boost Home Healthcare for an informational chat!
Boost Home Healthcare: Own Your Future
There has never been a better time to take control of your future and build a meaningful life in business. The aging population needs increased access to home healthcare. As a Boost Home Healthcare franchisee, you can be part of the solution while fulfilling your own entrepreneurial dreams. To learn more about our franchising opportunities, call us today at (248) 781-8841 or request more information online.
