Home care agencies have spent the past year doing their part to flatten the COVID-19 curve. Unfortunately, the HCBS industry continues to be plagued with a pandemic of its own – sky-high caregiver turnover rates. Home care providers have struggled to retain key talent due to market pressure – low pay, weak benefits, and limited training opportunities with turnover approaching 64%, as noted by Home Health Care News.
However, it’s not all bad news. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, homecare workers have shown remarkable resilience and professional dedication despite the fear of becoming infected and infecting others.
Like with COVID-19, the tide is changing – HSBC organizations are seeing a decline in caregiver turnover. However, care providers and agencies remain stretched thin. Care providers must dedicate resources to equip caregivers with training and resources to reduce employee turnover and improve care.
If your agency is considering new retention strategies, pivot your approach. All too often, caregivers are treated as an exchangeable commodity. However, according to a 2019 study, the average median revenue generated by each caregiver was over $13,000. By focusing on your most important resource, your personnel, you improve patient outcomes and improve your bottom line – all at the same time.
Expanding Medicaid Coverage of Home-Based Care Options
The Biden-Harris Administration has similarly recognized the value of HCBS caregivers. President Biden proposed a $400 billion plan designed to significantly bolster Medicaid coverage of long-term care outside of institutional settings, marking the first concrete step toward achieving a central campaign promise to support caregivers and expand access to home-based care.
Pitched as part of a $2 trillion infrastructure package dubbed “The American Jobs Plan,” the $400 billion would go toward providing wider access to HCBS, while also bolstering the frontline caregiving workforce.
Factors That Contribute To High Caregiver Turnover
Working in healthcare is challenging in and of itself, with many caregivers working long hours and struggling with burnout. Some may seek other job opportunities if they don’t feel as though they are supported and appreciated by their employers. Enlisting the help of technology is one solution that can go a long way in making scheduling and documentation of services easier, therefore lessening the burden on your caregivers.
Many people choose to work in healthcare because they find it rewarding. That’s not to say that it doesn’t also come with significant challenges. When the demands and other “negatives” outweigh the positives, caregivers may start to look elsewhere for employment. The following are some of the most common factors that can contribute to high caregiver turnover.
- Demanding workload
- Pressure to keep up with administrative tasks
- Lack of organizational support
- Lack of communication between caregiver and employer
- Not having access to the information they need, when they need it
- Not being empowered to make decisions
The Importance of Caregiver Retention
Caregiver turnover is a key performance indicator for most businesses. In home care, retaining good caregivers is the backbone of effective home care. Retaining experienced caregivers is necessary to provide the level of care consumers have come to expect and deserve. Being able to hold on to seasoned caregivers is good for the consumer and the viability and success of your agency.
Frequent sourcing and training of new caregivers results in a poor allocation of time and resources that could be otherwise used to support your current caregivers, provide better quality of care, and grow your business. As you’re training those new caregivers, your current caregivers are also feeling the burden carrying the full workload since your new staff likely aren’t up to performing at the same level as the others. If this continues for a significant amount of time, it could result in additional turnover — perhaps involving some of your best and most experienced caregivers.
How To Improve Caregiver Retention
1.) Streamline Documentation
Many caregivers struggled to keep up with documentation requirements. The highly fragmented processes often leave caregivers spending significant time filling out post-visit paperwork. To reduce this burden, FOCOSconnect allows caregivers to document a service visit using an easy-to-use app, accessible from their cell phone, tablet, or computer.
2.) Provide Easy Access To Information
Whether a caregiver needs to access consumer records, or you need to track down documentation for an upcoming audit, sorting through files of paperwork to find what you need is incredibly inefficient with non-integrated solutions. By maintaining all service records electronically with FOCOSconnect, your caregivers can easily find what you need, when you need it, without having to sort through mountains of paperwork – all in real-time!
3.) Improve Communication
Caregivers report that they often feel unheard and unsupported. Improving communication and empowering caregivers with the tools they need to perform their job effectively are two ways to boost caregiver satisfaction. With EVV software from FOCOS, you can provide instant access to information using real-time alerts and role-based permission to service scheduling and client files. Caregivers feel trusted and appreciated, knowing that their employer has invested in technology that will help make their lives easier.
4.) Save Time
Caregivers often choose to leave an organization because they feel overworked and unable to keep up with the demands that have been placed upon them. FOCOSconnect helps by freeing up time spent on documentation, allowing caregivers to focus on what matters most – support across the spectrum of care.
Plus, it can be accessed from any connected device — meaning caregivers can complete documentation using a mobile app at the point of care. With the time saved by not having to go to an office to fill out paperwork, caregivers have time given back to their day and can dedicate more time to providing quality care.
Improving the Quality of Care
If you’re looking to boost caregiver retention and improve the quality of care, we invite you to take a look at the EVV software from FOCOS Innovations. Our innovative technology pairs flexibility and convenience with unparalleled reporting and access to real-time information.
See for yourself how FOCOSconnect is transforming the HCBS industry. Schedule a live demo with one of our product specialists at your convenience. We can learn about your requirements, answer questions, and review ways FOCOS Innovations can help your HCBS organization!
