HOME VISIT GUIDELINES School of Community Medicine

Home visits of patients have many beneficial aspects including providing services to individuals who might otherwise not receive care and the opportunity to observe the individual in their home environment. However, prudence dictates that certain safety precautions be observed during any home visit, especially an initial visit where the health provider is not familiar with the patient’s home situation. Generally, learners should never go alone for home visits, especially for an initial visit. Some individuals should never be visited alone due to a personal history of violence, substance use, etc. Visits should be conducted during daylight hours. General guidelines for home visits include:

 PERSONAL: Dress modestly, with shoes and clothes that make it easy for you to move quickly. Avoid wearing expensive jewelry or carrying a purse. Do not wear any accessory that could potentially be dangerous such as necklaces or scarves. Carry a minimal amount of cash. Consider bringing a noise-making device such as a whistle.  PHONES: Phone ahead for all appointments so that families know when to expect you. Make phone calls to the home from business or public phones to avoid caller ID to your personal phone. Be certain to carry a cell phone at all times. Let someone, such as a supervisor, know when you begin and end a home visit. Text messaging serves this function well.  CAR: Keep your car doors locked. Avoid leaving items visible on the car seats during visits. Before leaving for the home visit, put your belongings in the car trunk or out of sight. Prepare the materials needed for the visit in advance and carry them with you so that you do not have to get into the car truck.  LOCATION: Practice common sense and be aware of your surroundings. Do not bring anything into the home that you do not need, i.e. a purse, coat, or case file. Know the layout of the site you are visiting. Keep the door in sight during the visit and do not allow the exit door to be locked. Identify locations where other people may be present and possible escape routes. Avoid areas with poor visibility by others such as alleys or isolated buildings. Before traveling, learn the location of the local police or fire department so that driving there for safety is an option.  NEIGHBORHOOD: Watch for dangerous dogs and tall shrubs or bushes. Cross the street and walk on the other side if possible. If the environment is unsafe or threatening, leave and reschedule the visit under different circumstances, with which you are more comfortable. If an apartment building's hallways have men or teenagers loitering, do not enter; have a family member meet you at the outside entrance and escort you into the apartment.  PROTECT YOURSELF: If you observe drug paraphernalia, meth lab materials, unlocked guns, pornography or possible illegal activity taking place in the home, then you should leave the premises as soon as possible without revealing any awareness of a problem. Do not confront the family about any suspicions. Report your concerns to the police and your supervisor immediately.