Fidelity Health Care Simplifies Treatment for Patients and Providers
Fidelity Health Care is not only the largest health care agency in Montgomery County; it is the only one that has earned a 5-star rating from Home Health Compare, a ratings system operated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The ranking provides a tremendous sense of confidence to physicians. Franklin-based family practice physician Joshua Ordway, MD, agrees. "I know my patients will get the best possible care," he says. "I have seen really good results and successes, and my patients are seen quickly.”
Fidelity’s 5-star rating – which the home health care agency has attained every quarter since July 2018 – places the agency among the top 6 percent of home health care agencies nationwide and among the top 3 percent in Ohio. The rating signifies that Fidelity excels in such quality measures as managing daily activities; managing pain and treating symptoms; preventing harm; preventing unplanned hospital care; and payment and value of care.
“We make every visit count,” says Mary Walters, Fidelity vice president and chief nursing officer. “We are able to provide quality excellent care at a lower cost than the national average, and that's a big deal; it's a very hard thing to do.”
Fidelity Health Care, which serves 17 counties in Ohio, focuses on patient-centered goals, Walters says. Patients receive training on how to manage daily living skills, including how to manage their oral medications, from proper dosage to side effects.
"We work in tandem with the patient to keep them independent in their homes," Walters says. "I receive so many letters and phone calls thanking our clinicians for everything they do to help patients to achieve their goals, such as attending their daughter's wedding."
Fidelity offers a wide variety of specialists, including cardiac care, orthopedics, physical therapy, palliative care, and IV-certified nurses. Medical equipment is available to meet nearly every patient need, from walking aids to wheelchairs; from CPAP and BiPAP machines to portable oxygen tanks; and from bathroom equipment to bedside commodes.
"We are the one-stop shop; we can do it all," says Cheryl White, executive director of customer service and medical equipment for Fidelity. “We work closely with physicians to provide equipment that enables patients to remain in the comfort of their home, yet safely. It's very gratifying to see patients who are able to get out to church or the grocery store, travel, or attend their children's events.”
As a locally owned and operated agency, Fidelity Health Care works closely with hospitals and providers to expedite equipment delivery. “We partner with our physicians and their staff to support the needs of the patient,” White says. “These are invaluable relationships.”
Infusion services also make it possible for patients to remain at home, including IV antibiotics, intravenous feeding (TPN), chemotherapy, hydration, immune globulin therapy, and enteral feedings.
“When somebody isn't feeling well, they don't want to pack up and head into a facility to receive therapy,” says Eric Napier, director of outpatient pharmacy service for Fidelity. “We are coming to their home, and they are already sitting in their recliner waiting for us.”
As a Premier Health-owned entity, Fidelity can streamline the process for providers as well. “They write an order, and we are going to take it from there, instead of using an outside company that would require a million phone calls to set it up,” Napier says.
Dr. Ordway appreciates the ease of signing electronic orders instead of faxing mountains of paperwork.
"My first and really only choice when it comes to home care is Fidelity," Dr. Ordway says, "because they provide high quality, low cost care. It is obvious that the Fidelity staff are passionate about their jobs."
Back to the April 2019 issue of Premier Pulse
