The 5 Best States to Open a Homecare Agency

Determining the best states in which to open a homecare agency can be a bit tricky. Opportunity is in the eye of the beholder. What may seem like a poor area for growth to one person may actually be the perfect opportunity for another. In 2014, Forbes cited research conducted by Scorecard. Scorecard ranked home care provided by all states utilizing the following criteria:

1. Affordability and access
2. Choice of setting and provider
3. Quality of life and quality of care
4. Support of family caregivers
5. Effective transitions from one care setting to another

The research yielded the following rankings:

1. Washington D.C. provided the most affordable and accessible services; Kentucky provided the worst
2. Minnesota provided the best setting and provider choices; Alabama provided the worst
3. Minnesota provided the best quality of life and quality of care; Oklahoma provided the worst
4. Hawaii provided the best support for family caregivers; Indiana provided the worst support
5. Oregon provided the best transitions; Louisiana provided the worst

Interpreting the Results

States that have been ranked the worst in their respective categories offer great opportunity for the savvy entrepreneur. These states demonstrate a particular need.  Kentucky, for instance, may still need more affordable and accessible homecare agencies. Questions that you can ask yourself to determine how best you can fill the gaps in these states include:

• How can I ensure that my business can meet the shortfall?
• What support will I need?
• Are there any state regulations that contribute to the shortfalls?
• How would my business fare against competitors?

On the flip side, states that performed well in their respective categories offer a measure of challenge for the novice homecare agency. The competition is stiff and homecare providers generally live up to high standards.  Measuring up to your competition is going to require a great deal of research and strategic planning. The questions you should ask yourself if you’re in one of these states are:

• What are the strengths of homecare providers in these states?
• Are there any needs that aren’t being addressed by the current homecare providers?
• What can I do to make my company stand out from the competition?

Succeeding Wherever You Are

The point really is to create success wherever you are. Zeroing on the needs of your target audience in your location is the starting point. How you effectively meet those needs will mean the difference between your success and failure. Five factors determine a business’ success:

1. Vision
2. Brand identity
3. Customer service
4. Revenue (profits)
5. Quality of human resources

Get these 5 things right and location will only be a minute detail.