Your child may also require medical equipment/supplies in your home.  The following are questions to consider when selecting a provider.

1. Does my insurance/Medicaid pay for the home equipment?  Will I have a co-pay?
2. Will someone teach me how to operate the equipment?
3. Does the equipment company have pediatric staff experience in working with infants and young children?
4. What happens if there are equipment problems after regular office hours or on weekends?  What is the response time?  What provisions are made for back-up equipment?

Providers:

1. Northside Oxygen and Medical Equipment
   702 Wabash Ave., Zanesville  (740) 453-0693 or (800) 624-2922
   61353 Southgate Parkway, Suite 2, Cambridge (740) 435-9393 or (888) 435-9395
   301 Dr. Mike Clouse Dr., Somerset,  (740) 743-1590 or (800) 543-1590
2. American Home Patient
   965 Linden Ave., Zanesville,  (740) 455-3001
3. Apria Healthcare
   120 Sunrise Center, Zanesville,  (740) 452-0645

Home Health Care Providers

1. American Nursing (740) 452-0569.
2. Interim Healthcare
1. Zanesville (740) 453-5130.
2. Cambridge (740) 432-2966.
3. Coshocton
4. Newark
3. CareStar 1-800-423-1043 or 330-492-4530
4. Independent providers – CareStar case managers have a list of provider names.  ***Be sure to check references and talk with other families.

Home Health may be arranged through a company such as those listed or independently.  Consideration should be given to the following:

1. Will the nurses assigned to my child’s care all have pediatric nursing experience?  What is the skill level I can expect from assigned nurses?
2. Does the company guarantee shift coverage?  Will I be able to have the nurses I want?  NOTE:  Nursing is usually not a guarantee so make sure you have a back-up plan, especially if you are using independent providers.  You will  need either a pool of nurses to pull from for back-up or family/friends who have been adequately trained that may step in.
3. What happens if I do not want a nurse to return to my home because of personality conflict or problems with the nursing care?
4. Who will train the nurses in the care of my child?
5. Will my child be assigned a primary nurse, or do nurses rotate, and if so, how often?
6. How do nurses communicate with each other and me about my child’s health status and the nursing care goals?
7. How will my family’s privacy be maintained?
8. Who do I contact both during office hours and after office hours should I have questions?

Waiver programs are offered through the Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) and the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (ODMR/DD)   Ohio’s Family Support Collaborative website outlines the differences among the six Ohio waivers, including eligibility, services provided, and application process.  Financial eligibility is “waived” for these programs;  however, there are medical criteria for eligibility.  Other helpful, waiver-specific websites include:  Ohio Home Care Program , Changes in the Ohio Home Care Waiver Program , and Transitions Waiver.