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