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A Guide for Understanding Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Ohio
Caoimhe Walsh
What Is Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) in Ohio? And Why Is It Necessary?
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is a record of care service provision. It provides unarguable proof that a caregiver was in the correct location when scheduled to provide client care. For most care services in Ohio, EVV also captures the client’s confirmation that the service was delivered.
EVV is a legal requirement for all home care and health services. It protects vulnerable Ohioans by ensuring that client care services are provided before the caregiver or home care agency is paid.
How Does Ohio’s EVV System Function for Home Care Providers?
Currently, Ohio requires all non-agency providers to use Sandata for EVV. However, agencies can choose between Sandata and a certified alternative EVV system that integrates with Sandata.
Whichever EVV system you use, the process is similar. First, the following details are collected:
The location at the start and end of the shift
The client’s digital signature (unless the client has developmental disabilities)
The date, start time, and end time of the client care service
Which caregiver provided the client care
Who received the client care
Which care services were provided
Some of these will be automatically collected via the caregiver’s phone, while others may need to be manually entered. This information is then aggregated by your EVV system and sent either to the payers or to the Ohio Department of Medicaid.
What Changes Are Being Proposed to the Current EVV System in Ohio?
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) is planning an enhanced EVV rollout on July 1st, 2024. The EVV system will update to include the following features:
Optional GPS coordinates: Your home care agency must have written approval to capture GPS details
Location: Visits must include a “Home” or “Community” location at both the start and end of the client care service
Scheduling
Use of OH|ID: The EVV web portal, EVV Aggregator, and Zendesk will be integrated into Ohio’s identity management platform (OH|ID), allowing single sign-on and multi-factor authentication
Additional services
Why Is Ohio Considering Changes to Its EVV System?
Ohio is planning these changes for a variety of reasons, including improving client privacy, simplifying data processing and user connectivity, and greater protection from hacking. The scheduling feature and new services should also make it easier for care staff to record their visits.
How Does Ohio’s New EVV System Address Privacy Concerns?
While EVV is designed to protect care recipients, it also means that their location is collected and stored online. This leaves them vulnerable to a data breach or leak.
By ensuring that home care providers obtain written consent before collecting GPS data, Ohio’s new EVV system better respects care recipients’ right to privacy. The transition to OH|ID should also help improve data security.
Clients will be able to decide whether they want their exact location collected. And, if they do consent to GPS data collection, they can trust that it’s securely stored and processed.
Does the Ohio EVV System Continuously Track the Locations of Home Care Workers?
It’s not just clients’ privacy that you need to consider. Caregivers also have a right to privacy when they’re not working.
The Ohio EVV system requires permission to access the GPS location on the caregiver’s mobile app. It uses this to record their location when they clock in and out of shifts. However, it does not track home care workers’ locations continuously.
Simplifying Service Management for Ohio’s Home Care Agencies
No matter how you decide to collect it, EVV is just the first step in ensuring that clients receive high-quality care services.
The right tools will make sure that caregivers aren’t just present at the client’s location. They are also equipped with everything they need to deliver empathetic, person-centered care.
ShiftCare’s home care software helps you schedule your team, fill empty shifts, share client details, create care note templates, monitor clients’ goals progress, and more.
Who is subject to EVV?
Providers of in-home healthcare, home care, and Medicaid services must provide electronic visit verification (EVV) in Ohio.
How much does the EVV cost?
EVV in Ohio is free for providers, although some certified alternative EVV systems may cost extra.
What is the EVV method?
To collect EVV, your caregiver’s location, client’s digital signature, and other details will be recorded via the caregiver’s phone and then uploaded to your EVV system.
