In this episode of Home Health Revealed, we sit down with Hope Mulliken, Help Desk Coordinator at the Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice (OCHCH), to talk about what’s really happening behind the scenes in home health operations today.

From Medicaid and Medicare changes to rising denials, authorization delays, and audit pressure, Hope breaks down the challenges agencies are facing right now and why things continue to get more complex.

We also explore the OCHCH Help Desk, where Hope supports both member agencies and the community with questions ranging from EVV and OASIS issues to appeals, compliance, and operational challenges. During the conversation, we affectionately refer to it as the “Hope Desk,” a nickname that stuck thanks to Hope’s name and the fact that she’s often the go-to for agency questions.

Finally, we discuss defensible documentation, why every visit note needs to tell a complete clinical story, and how agencies can better protect themselves in today’s regulatory environment.

• (00:00:03) - Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice Help Desk
• (00:02:19) - Medicare and Medicaid: How to manage both of your patients'
• (00:06:39) - What is the top question you get at the help desk?
• (00:07:26) - Face to Face for Care
• (00:09:04) - Visit Notes
• (00:11:03) - Home and Community Based Nursing Program

In this episode of Home Health Revealed, we sit down with Victoria Barkin, Regional Director of Operations for Home Health at National Church Residences, to talk about what it really means to create a true continuum of care.

Too often, care is delivered in silos. But patients don’t experience it that way.

Victoria shares real-world stories that highlight the gaps that can happen between settings and what it takes operationally and clinically to close them. From navigating complex discharges without an established physician to quickly transitioning a patient to hospice and avoiding an unnecessary hospitalization, this conversation brings the concept of “continuity” to life.

We also dig into the role of relationships, both within an organization and across the community, and why having the right connections in place can make all the difference for patients and their caregivers.

Whether your organization offers a full continuum of services or relies on trusted partners, this episode explores how home health leaders can better support patients through every stage of care.

• (00:00:03) - What's the Core of Home Health?
• (00:02:34) - Home Health for the Complex Patient
• (00:06:52) - OCCAS 2017
• (00:07:31) - Och-Care Ohio Association annual meeting

In this episode of Home Health Revealed, we sit down with Mecca Abdul-Aziz, owner of E&M Home Care in Columbus, Ohio, to hear the real story behind building a home care agency from the ground up.

Mecca shares how a career shift from marketing and education, paired with a sudden layoff and a growing desire to build something of her own, led her into the home care space. With no prior experience running an agency, she walked through licensing, landing her first client, and quickly realizing what it means to build a business while you are actively learning how to run it.

We also talk about the realities that come with growth: hiring caregivers, defining culture, balancing faith and family, and leading with purpose when every decision carries weight. Mecca reflects on what it means to build a mission-driven agency, the importance of trust in home care, and how she thinks about legacy and long-term impact for her family and community.

This is a grounded conversation about starting from scratch, learning in real time, and building something meaningful while you are still in motion.

• (00:00:03) - How to Start a Home Care Business at 23
• (00:02:56) - Caregiving as a Step-by-Step Process
• (00:07:00) - Non-RN Families: Building a Legacy
• (00:11:13) - OCH Networking Event

In this episode of Home Health Revealed, we sit down with Jessica Mandrell, owner of Lifesaver Healthcare, to talk through what it really looks like to step into ownership through acquisition, and what comes next.

Jessica shares her experience purchasing an established agency, what made the transition smoother than expected, and the lessons that came quickly, like navigating prior authorizations, understanding Medicare billing, and making sure the right processes are in place from day one.

The conversation also gets into the realities of cash flow during ownership transitions, including how strong financial footing can help offset the challenges of the “J curve” as new owners find their rhythm.

But at the center of it all is culture. From retaining experienced staff to building a leadership mindset that prioritizes people, Jessica talks about why growth isn’t just about scaling, it’s about investing in the team that makes it possible.

If you’re thinking about acquiring an agency, stepping into a new leadership role, or looking to strengthen your operations as you grow, this episode offers a practical, honest look at what it takes.

• (00:00:03) - Home Health Revealed: Jessica Mandrell's Transition to an Ohio
• (00:03:25) - Home Healthcare: The Palmetto Council
• (00:04:33) - How Your Husband and I Are Working Together
• (00:05:13) - Home Health CEO Discusses the Industry

What’s really happening in home health and hospice right now? A look at Ohio tells the story.

In this episode,Lisa VonLehmden from Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice shares how the landscape is shifting across the state, from growing demands on agencies to the increasing need for real support and engagement at the association level. She talks through the rapid growth of the Ohio Council, what’s driving it, and how a more hands-on, experience-driven approach is making a difference for providers.

The conversation also explores the connection between clinical care and financial performance, why agencies are being pushed to think differently, and how stronger collaboration across teams is becoming essential.

This is a grounded, real-world look at what it takes to navigate home health and hospice today.

• (00:00:03) - Ohio Home Health and Hospice Association's 20th Anniversary
• (00:05:03) - Ohio Healthcare Financially Management Conference
• (00:11:19) - Crucial Conversations: The Home Health Industry
• (00:15:23) - The Hard Talk in Home Nursing

Documentation in home health has always been essential, but it hasn’t always supported clinicians and agencies in the way it needs to. In this episode of Home Health Revealed, we explore the evolution of home health documentation—from paper and pen to EMRs and now ambient AI—and what each stage has solved, as well as what gaps still remain. Joined by Sandeep Banga and Andrew Ostrander from Scribble, the conversation focuses on the space between what happens in the home and what gets captured in documentation, and how that gap directly impacts quality, compliance, and reimbursement. We also dig into how agencies are thinking differently about documentation today, not just as an administrative task, but as a core driver of clinician experience, retention, coding accuracy, and financial performance. Finally, we break down what ambient AI looks like in real workflows and why capturing documentation at the point of care is becoming increasingly important to closing the gap between care and cash. If your agency is thinking about the future of documentation and how it impacts both clinical and operational outcomes, this episode offers a grounded look at where things are headed.

• (00:00:03) - The Evolution of Home Health Documentation
• (00:00:42) - How to Write in Home Health?
• (00:08:30) - What is Medicare's Requirement for Complete and Accurate Documentation?
• (00:10:50) - The Agency's Top Concerns
• (00:14:11) - HIPAA compliance in documentation
• (00:18:01) - Scribble for Clinicians: The AI-enabled Visit
• (00:24:56) - Healthcare Regulatory Agency-funded documentation review
• (00:26:47) - Home Health Companies See Future of Technology
• (00:28:10) - Home Health Agency Connections

When a surveyor walks through your doors, what are they really looking for?

In this episode of Home Health Revealed, we sit down with Becky Tolson from ACHC to break down the top five deficiencies cited in home health surveys—and why they continue to show up across agencies.

From plan of care and medication management to documentation habits and infection control, Becky shares what surveyors see most often, where agencies fall short, and how to fix it before it becomes a citation.

If your team struggles with documentation, communication, or staying survey-ready, this episode offers practical insights to help you close the gap between care and compliance.

• (00:00:03) - Home Health Revealed
• (00:00:27) - Becky Tolson on Accreditation Commission for Healthcare
• (00:01:19) - What Are Surveyors Looking For in an Agency's Patient Care?
• (00:04:09) - Home Health Complaints: Top 5 Tags
• (00:08:07) - Obstructions to the Plan of Care
• (00:10:03) - 536 and MedPro Profile
• (00:11:11) - Home Health Agency Medication Documentation
• (00:14:14) - Care Record 7,10, Communication breakdowns and documentation
• (00:18:51) - Clinical Visit Notes, 3 of 4
• (00:27:57) - Home Visits, G682, Infection Control
• (00:30:52) - Home Visits: Do we Need More Citations?
• (00:33:51) - How to Get in Touch with ACHC on Connection Education
• (00:35:47) - Survivors of the Titanic

In this episode of Home Health Revealed, we sit down with Alexander Shekaroff from Fin Health, Inc. to explore the emerging concept of profit cycle management—and how it builds on traditional revenue cycle strategies in home health and hospice. While revenue cycle management focuses on cash flow and collections, this conversation dives deeper into what truly drives financial performance: margins, EBITDA, and operational efficiency. Alexander shares how agencies can uncover hidden “margin leaks,” improve financial visibility, and make faster, more confident decisions by connecting data across EMR, accounting, and workforce systems. We also discuss how many organizations can achieve meaningful EBITDA improvement without major structural changes—simply by making small, informed adjustments across departments. With increasing pressure from payers and a rapidly evolving market, having timely, accurate financial insights is no longer optional. Whether your agency is focused on growth, stability, or preparing for future opportunities, this episode highlights how aligning revenue cycle with profitability can create a stronger, more sustainable financial foundation.

• (00:00:03) - Home Health Revealed: Profit Cycle Management
• (00:04:10) - Ohio Conference 2017
• (00:07:17) - Interview with Hannah Hathaway