In Conversation with Emily Feugill on the Non-Negotiables That Keep Your Agency Safe

In the fast-paced world of home care and multi-site operations, compliance is not optional — it’s your agency’s safety net. Yet too many agencies smother caregivers with burdensome checklists, losing efficiency and morale. The smarter route is to define non-negotiables — documentation and audit routines so well-engineered they protect the agency without paralyzing the workforce.

Emily dives into six strategic domains—from sourcing and onboarding through travel pay, supervision cadence, KPI tracking, and travel policies—through the lens of compliance safeguards. You’ll discover how to build a hiring funnel rooted in referrals and structured screening, compress onboarding while preserving key checks, measure early warning KPIs, manage out-of-territory assignments fairly, maintain healthy supervisor touch points, and enforce EVV, documentation, and exclusion checks without drowning caregivers in red tape.

These are not optional best practices — they are the foundation that lets your agency scale reliably, stay audit-ready, and preserve caregiver trust. Read on to see how non-negotiables become your strongest operational pillar.

To shed some light on the same, we interviewed a home care industry expert to bring her perspective on the non-negotiables that keep your agency safe.

Let us now delve into what she has to say about the non-negotiables that keep your agency safe:

Question 1: What sourcing channels and screening steps deliver the most reliable caregivers for multi-site coverage?

High-reliability caregiver hiring blends smart sourcing and rigorous screening. Employee referral programs consistently yield better matches and retention because existing staff can vouch for applicants.

Indeed (and similar job sites) deliver a broad reach for volume hiring. Before a full interview, a structured phone screen tests communication, basic fit, and clarifies key requirements.

Then follow with reference verification, background checks, skill or competency assessments, and an in-person or video interview to finalize selection.

Question 2: How do you compress onboarding without sacrificing competency — which must-have checks stay non-negotiable?

We have required training topics that we cover regardless. 1 week, 2 week check-ins. 90-day review but constantly touching base and checking in.

We enforce a core training curriculum (e.g., safety, client protocols) that is non-negotiable, even under compressed timelines. During the first week, we conduct a structured orientation and hands-on practice. We follow up with weekly or biweekly check-ins in weeks 1–2 to diagnose gaps early.

Over the first 90 days, we use phased milestones and a formal 90-day review to assess readiness and coach improvements. Meanwhile, we maintain continuous informal check-ins to reinforce competency and alignment.

Question 3: What KPIs do you track to spot hiring, training, or retention problems before they hit quality or scheduling?

We don’t just track retention — we combine that with early-warning KPIs to spot trouble before it cascades. Some key ones include:

• New-hire turnover/attrition rate (especially within 90 days) to catch onboarding or fit issues early.
• Time to productivity/ramp-up time (how long until a caregiver meets performance benchmarks).
• Training completion rates & assessment pass rates (ensuring required competencies were actually absorbed).
• Voluntary turnover rate, absenteeism, or retention segmented by location or supervisor to spot localized problems.
• Offer acceptance rate/hiring funnel conversion and cost per hire to detect sourcing or recruitment inefficiencies before quality suffers.

By triangulating these metrics together (not just a single retention rate), you can catch trends, isolate root causes, and intervene before scheduling or quality is impacted.

Question 4: How should travel/out-of-territory assignments be paid and managed to keep caregivers willing and clients covered?

Offering mileage reimbursement or travel incentives helps offset caregiver costs and keeps them willing to take longer or out-of-territory assignments.

For example, agencies reimburse caregivers for “between-visit” miles or travel time at standard rates. When travel isn’t compensated fairly, turnover rises and retention suffers. Incentive pay—such as bonuses or higher per-mile rates—makes remote or distant coverage viable.

Question 5: What cadence and content for supervisor check-ins best prevent burnout and performance drift across sites?

Effective supervisor check-ins require a regular rhythm and open dialogue. Monthly or bi-monthly one-on-one check-ins allow supervisors to catch early signs of stress, drift, or overload before quality slips.

Research shows brief, structured “work-life” check-ins (~30 minutes) can reduce emotional exhaustion. In each check-in, include these content areas: workload review, obstacles encountered, support needed, wins/learning moments, feedback loop, and pulse on well-being.

An open, trusting tone encourages honest sharing and corrective action.

Question 6: What compliance controls and audit routines protect the agency (EVV, documentation, exclusions) without overburdening caregivers?

Solid compliance relies on smart documentation plus periodic audits—not burdensome checklists. Use EVV systems that automatically capture the six mandated data points (who, what, when, where, etc.) to reduce manual load.

Supplement that with routine chart audits/peer reviews (monthly or quarterly) to spot gaps or inconsistent entries early.

Keep an exclusions/sanction list (e.g. OIG / DHS) cross-checked regularly, and document all corrective plans.

These layers protect the agency while keeping the burden on caregivers minimal.

In Conclusion

In a world of evolving regulations and client demands, your agency’s longevity rests on its non-negotiables. Compliance isn’t a hurdle—it’s your guardrail. When you fuse smart documentation, calibrated audits, structured screening, and empathetic check-ins, the system reinforces itself.

Treat these pillars as foundational: they give you room to scale, innovate, and stay agile, all while preserving caregiver trust and client safety. At the end of the day, you’re not just managing risks—you’re building resilience. Follow these non-negotiables, and your agency will thrive, not just survive.