HarvardCare at Home 
HarvardCare at Home 
Wound Care
Professional Wound Treatment in Your Own Home
When you have a wound that needs professional care, the last thing you want is repeated trips to a clinic or wound center. Home wound care brings expert treatment to you, eliminating transportation barriers and allowing healing in the most comfortable environment possible.
Getting wound care at home is more accessible than most people realize. This guide explains exactly how to access these services, what to expect, and who qualifies.
Who Can Get Wound Care at Home?
Home wound care is available for a wide range of patients and wound types.
Qualifying Wound Types
Professional home wound care treats diabetic wounds including foot ulcers and skin breakdown, pressure ulcers at all stages, venous leg ulcers, surgical wounds requiring monitoring or treatment, chronic non-healing wounds, traumatic wounds needing professional care, burns, skin tears, and any wound requiring skilled nursing intervention.
Who Typically Receives Home Wound Care
Home wound care patients include seniors with limited mobility, patients recovering from surgery, people with diabetes and foot complications, individuals with venous or arterial disease, patients discharged from the hospital with wound care needs, anyone homebound with a wound requiring skilled treatment, and patients with wounds complicated by multiple health conditions.
Three Ways to Get Wound Care at Home
There are three primary pathways to accessing home wound care services.
Path 1: Through Your Doctor
The most common route starts with your physician.
How It Works
Tell your doctor about your wound. Describe how long you have had it, whether it is improving or worsening, and what you have tried. Ask specifically about home wound care services.
Your doctor evaluates the wound and determines whether home health wound care is appropriate. If so, they write an order specifying wound care through a home health agency.
What to Say
Be specific about your needs. You might say your wound has not healed after several weeks of home care, you are having difficulty managing dressing changes on your own, you cannot easily travel to a wound care clinic, or you are concerned about signs of infection.
Our article on why wounds stop healing can help you identify issues to discuss with your doctor. Learn to recognize signs of wound infection that warrant immediate attention.
If Your Doctor Does Not Suggest It
Some physicians are not aware of the full scope of home wound care services. You can ask directly for a home health referral for wound care, request an evaluation even if they are unsure, or seek a second opinion if your wound needs are not being addressed.
Path 2: At Hospital Discharge
If you are in the hospital with a wound, home wound care is often arranged before discharge.
How It Works
The hospital discharge team, including case managers and social workers, evaluates post-hospital needs. Wounds from surgery, pressure injuries developed during hospitalization, or pre-existing wounds that brought you to the hospital all commonly qualify for home wound care.
What to Ask Before Leaving
Before discharge, ask whether home wound care has been ordered, which agency will provide care, when the first visit will be, what wound care supplies you need, and what to do if your wound changes before the first visit.
Our guide on hospital discharge and recovery at home covers the full transition process. Also read about how home health bridges the hospital-to-home gap.
Path 3: Contact a Home Health Agency Directly
You can contact a home health agency to ask about wound care services.
How It Works
Call a home health agency and explain your wound care needs. The agency can explain available services and eligibility requirements, coordinate with your physician to obtain necessary orders, verify your insurance coverage, and schedule an initial evaluation once orders are received.
While the agency cannot provide services without a physician order, they can help facilitate the order process and guide you through the steps.
What Happens Once Services Are Ordered
After your physician orders home wound care, the process moves quickly.
Insurance Verification
The home health agency verifies your coverage. Medicare covers home wound care at 100 percent for qualifying patients. Most private insurance also covers these services. Learn about Medicare home health coverage in detail.
Initial Assessment
A wound care nurse visits your home for a comprehensive evaluation. During this visit the nurse completes a thorough wound assessment including measurement, staging, and photography, evaluates factors affecting healing, reviews your medications and health conditions, assesses your home environment, develops an individualized treatment plan, performs the first wound treatment, and educates you and your caregivers on wound care.
Read about what to expect during your first home health visit.
Ongoing Treatment
Regular visits follow based on your wound needs. Your care plan may include professional dressing changes two to five times per week, wound assessment and progress documentation, debridement when needed, specialized treatments as indicated, and care plan adjustment as your wound responds.
Services Available for Home Wound Care
Home wound care encompasses a comprehensive range of services.
Basic Wound Management
Professional wound care includes assessment, cleaning, debridement, and appropriate dressing application for all wound types.
Advanced Therapies
When wounds require advanced treatment, home-based options include wound vac therapy using negative pressure to accelerate healing, compression therapy for venous leg ulcers, and specialized dressings and treatment modalities.
Coordinated Care
Wound care often works alongside other home health services. Skilled nursing manages overall medical needs. Medication management optimizes medications affecting healing. Physical therapy addresses mobility that impacts wound prevention and healing. Occupational therapy helps with daily activities and positioning.
What to Expect from Your Wound Care Nurse
Understanding the role of your wound care nurse helps you get the most from services.
Professional Expertise
Wound care nurses bring specialized training in wound assessment and classification, evidence-based treatment selection, infection identification and management, advanced wound therapies, and patient and caregiver education.
Learn more about what wound care nurses do and when you need one.
What They Do at Each Visit
Each wound care visit typically includes assessing the wound and surrounding skin, comparing to previous assessments, cleaning the wound, debriding if needed, applying appropriate dressings, educating you on care between visits, and documenting progress for your physician.
Your Role in Home Wound Care
Professional treatment is essential, but what you do between visits matters significantly.
Follow the Care Plan
If your nurse instructs you to keep the wound elevated, change outer dressings, take specific medications, or perform other tasks between visits, follow through consistently.
Nutrition
Feed your healing with proper nutrition. Our guides on ten foods that speed wound healing and nutrition and wound healing in older adults explain what to eat for optimal healing.
Monitor and Report
Watch your wound between visits. Report changes including new or increased pain, changes in drainage color or amount, increased redness or warmth, odor, and fever. Learn the stages of wound healing so you can track progress.
Daily Habits
Support healing through daily practices. Our article on daily habits that promote wound healing provides practical recommendations.
Finding Wound Care at Home in Los Angeles
Professional home wound care is available throughout the Los Angeles area. Services reach Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Glendale, Long Beach, Torrance, Burbank, Woodland Hills, Arcadia, and dozens more communities.
For location-specific wound care information, visit pages like wound care in Beverly Hills, wound care in Pasadena, wound care in Torrance, or wound care in Long Beach.
Do Not Wait
Wounds that do not receive proper care get worse, not better. Every week a chronic wound goes untreated increases infection risk, tissue damage, and healing time. The sooner you access professional wound care, the better your outcome.
If you have a wound that needs attention, take the first step today. Talk to your doctor, contact a home health agency, or reach out to us directly. Professional wound care at home is accessible, effective, and often covered at no cost through Medicare.
Explore our complete wound care services or visit our FAQ page for answers to common questions.
