Key Takeaways:
- EVV is a federally mandated telephone and computer-based system that electronically tracks and verifies home care visits — required under the 21st Century Cures Act for all Medicaid-funded Personal Care Services (PCS) and Home Health Care Services (HHCS).
- Every EVV system must verify six data elements: type of service, individual receiving the service, date, location, individual providing care, and start/end time of the visit.
- Mobile app–based EVV is the most practical and scalable verification method — landline and biometric alternatives are becoming obsolete or cost-prohibitive for most agencies.
- Beyond compliance, EVV directly improves care quality by giving caregivers access to comprehensive medical histories and care plans, improving client satisfaction, health outcomes, and caregiver-client trust.
- Choosing the right EVV solution depends on ease of use, integration with scheduling and billing software, compliance with regional requirements, and the quality of vendor support.
One in five American adults receives support for daily activities like bathing, dressing, or taking medications, according to a recent KFF Health Tracking Poll, making home health care one of the most important industries of our time. This growing need for caregiving has prompted lawmakers, home care agencies, and service providers alike to call for modern digital solutions, like Electronic Visit Verification, which utilizes technology to optimize home care operations, deliver high-quality client care, streamline documentation, and enhance the overall caregiver experience.
EVV is reshaping the home care industry and empowering agencies to adapt to the ever-evolving landscape of home care services to provide the best care possible.
What is Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)?
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is a telephone and computer-based system that electronically tracks and verifies interactions between home care providers and their clients. Required under the 21st Century Cures Act for all Medicaid-funded services, EVV captures six data elements per visit to confirm care was delivered as authorized.
Download your copy of our white paper: Understanding EVV: The How When & Why of Electronic Visit Verification
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is a telephone and computer-based system used by the home care industry to electronically track interactions between home healthcare providers and their clients. EVV applies to care and health services rendered in the home and may track work performed, hours, accurate location information, and more about the client-caregiver interaction, including information about the service provider.
EVV systems for home care must verify six data elements:
- Services performed
- Client receiving the service
- Date of the service
- Location of service
- Individual providing the service
- Start and end time of the service
Importance of EVV in Home Health Care Services
The 21st Century CURES Act says that states must implement EVV for all Medicaid-funded Personal Care Services (PCS) and Home Health Care Services (HHCS.) Created in response to healthcare fraud, waste, and abuse reports, EVV requires home care agencies to implement a solution for verifying details about services.
EVV Methods for Home Health
Home care agencies can use three HHSC-approved EVV methods: a mobile app, text, or phone call on the caregiver’s own device; a landline call from the client’s home; or biometric recognition hardware installed at the client’s location. Mobile app–based EVV is by far the most practical for most agencies.
EVV for home health allows service providers to use an HHSC-approved method for checking in/out of service delivery. HHSC-approved methods include:
Mobile Method
Using their own mobile devices, caregivers can use an EVV mobile app, text, or phone call to record visits. Caregivers can capture all required visit information for EVV requirement compliance, document essential care information, and ensure all sensitive data is safe and compliant with HIPAA regulations.
Home Phone Landline
This method requires caregivers to call from their client’s landline to check in and record the visit. This method is reliable as long as the client uses a landline. However, every year, more Americans cut their landlines in favor of mobile devices, pushing this EVV method toward obsolescence.
Alternative Device
Service providers can also use alternative devices like biometric recognition hardware. These devices allow caregivers to check in/out with fingerprint scans and even record audio from their visit. This solution can be costly and inconvenient for the client as it must be installed in their home.
EVV's Impact on Home Health
EVV’s impact extends well beyond compliance. By giving caregivers real-time access to medical histories and care plans, EVV directly improves client satisfaction, health outcomes, and caregiver-client trust — while giving agencies the visibility they need to deliver personalized, consistent, and accountable care at scale.
EVV for home health is a valuable tool for elevating experience and standard of care for clients. It allows caregivers to access comprehensive medical histories and well-documented care plans, leading to increased client satisfaction, positive health outcomes, and strengthened client-caregiver trust.
Quality Client Care
EVV systems for home care is the increase in quality of client care. The University of California San Francisco Health Workforce Research Center on Long-Term Care recently reported in a study that clients noted that EVV incentivized workers to show up on time, ensuring quality care and increased patient satisfaction.
Prompt Intervention
Real-time monitoring and patient portal access facilitates seamless communication between all parties. Caregivers, healthcare professionals, and clients can stay up-to-date on the client’s list of treatments, track schedules, and send reminders for medication administration.
Personalized Care
EVV software equips caregivers to provide highly-personalized care plans tailored to meet the unique needs of each patient. Additionally, the increased visibility allows agencies to play a more active role in ensuring client satisfaction.
Impact of EVV on Caregivers
Accuracy and Accountability
EVV software records time sheets and services rendered digitally, which reduces administrative burden and the opportunity for human error. This allows agencies to maintain accurate records so caregivers are paid on time.
Care Coordination and Communication
With EVV client and family portals, caregivers can send notes, updates, and photos to their clients and the agency. This open communication helps build trust and ensures quality patient care.
Streamlined Documentation
EVV lets caregivers customize and digitize all documentation, reducing administrative tasks like time tracking.
Real-Time Monitoring
Real-time monitoring of caregiver visits allows supervisors and administrators to observe caregivers’ activities and schedules. This visibility enables them to receive timely feedback and support, leading to improved performance and job
satisfaction.
Impact of EVV on Home Care Agencies
For home care agencies, EVV software can be more than a compliance effort. Choosing the right home health care software can increase efficiency, productivity, and quality of care for your agency as a whole.
Compliance Requirements
When billing Medicaid, compliance requirements for EVV software vary state by state, making it crucial for providers to understand local mandates. Some states like California, use an open vendor model that allows providers to choose EVV software, and others, like Oregon and New Jersey, require the use of state-mandated vendors.
Caregiver Management
Managing caregiver schedules is vital for successful operations, service provider job retention, and patient satisfaction. EVV scheduling tools provide accurate information about caregiver availability, making schedule changes simple.
Billing and Reimbursement
Digital documentation of caregiver timesheets, services provided, and care tasks, instead of paper copies, improves billing accuracy and reduces delays in payment processing.
Automate Processes
Overall, home care software utilizes EVV to automate documentation processes, streamline workflows, and generate data and reports.
Delivering High-Quality Care with AxisCare
The right EVV software can make a positive impact on clients, caregivers, and agencies. Request a demo and see how AxisCare can push your agency to better client care, efficiency, compliance, and increased revenue.
FAQs
EVV is a telephone and computer-based system that electronically verifies home care visits by capturing six required data elements: the type of service performed, who received it, the date and location of service, who provided it, and the start and end time. It is required by the 21st Century Cures Act for all Medicaid-funded personal care and home health services.
Federal law requires EVV systems to capture: (1) type of service performed, (2) individual receiving the service, (3) date of service, (4) location of service delivery, (5) individual providing the service, and (6) the time the service begins and ends. These elements are defined in the 21st Century Cures Act and apply to all Medicaid-funded home care visits.
HHSC-approved EVV methods include caregiver mobile apps (most common), text or phone call from the caregiver’s own device, a landline call from the client’s home, and biometric recognition hardware. Mobile app–based EVV is the most practical choice for most agencies given the declining use of landlines and the cost of biometric hardware installation.
EVV improves care quality by giving caregivers real-time access to client medical histories and care plans at the point of care. This leads to more accurate, personalized service delivery, fewer documentation errors, stronger caregiver-client relationships, and better health outcomes — benefits that go well beyond the compliance mandate.
Key criteria include ease of use for both caregivers and office staff, integration with existing scheduling and billing systems, compliance with state-specific EVV aggregator requirements, and strong vendor support throughout implementation. Agencies operating across multiple states should also verify that their EVV system supports the relevant open and closed model state configurations.
