Which date represents the moment a patient is officially referred to Home Care Services?

• A. Referral Date.
• B. Start of Care Date.
• C. Discharge Date.
• D. Inpatient Discharge Date.

Answer: (A)

The moment a patient is officially referred to Home Care Services is determined by the referral date. This date marks the formal action of initiating the home care process—the point at which the agency receives the referral and begins the intake, eligibility review, and scheduling steps to set up services. It’s the administrative milestone that triggers enrollment activities, not the start of actual skilled visits.

The Start of Care date, in contrast, is when the patient actually begins receiving skilled services under a defined plan of care. That date comes after assessment, orders, and authorization, and it may be later than the referral date. Discharge date denotes when services are completed, and inpatient discharge date refers to leaving an inpatient setting like a hospital. So the referral date is the official entry point into the home care process.