Visiting Nurse Home Care & Hospice of Carroll County Welcomes New Director
June 25, 2021
Visiting Nurse Home Care & Hospice of Carroll County (VNHCH) recently announced the addition of a new leader to their organization. Kelly Peckham, RN has been promoted to the role of Clinical Director. This position was created to support VNHCH’s mission to provide exceptional home health care enabling independent living and quality of life for their clients and their families.
Kelly Peckham, RN was well-positioned to assume the role of Clinical Director after her predecessor required an extended medical leave in 2020. Kelly had been working as Clinical Coordinator, but quickly took on additional duties to meet the need. She started with VNHCH in 2016 as a case manager field nurse, giving her a well-rounded background to her newly expanded job. “(VNHCH) has given me many opportunities to move up. They have been supportive, encouraging learning and growth,” Kelly explained. “I’ve found a niche in home care. I enjoy being in the client’s home which is different from in-patient care. With home care, you get to educate the client and build a relationship – another difference from working in a hospital or other facility.”
As Clinical Director, Kelly oversees clinical staff and operations, a challenging and critical function for a visiting nurse operation. She manages the logistics and clinical direction of the entire clinical team, including dozens of nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, homemakers and licensed nursing assistants.
It’s more than scheduling. She also screens incoming patients for appropriateness of services, ensuring that their needs meet the criteria for home care. But an even more important responsibility is her teaching and mentoring clinical staff in the process and requirements of home care.
“I work with the team to teach them to manage a caseload in home care, helping them through the process. I can see the big picture and work with others to see the same in terms of their case management load,” Kelly continued. When you consider the number of patients each person manages, the variety of conditions and acuity, and the physical distance to be covered, it’s easy to see the importance of this coordination. “Home care is getting more complex, including documentation and insurance requirements. Clients are sicker and staying in the hospital for shorter stays and coming home in a more acute state.”
Kelly is excited to see the agency create this Director level position, focused exclusively on clinical care. “Having a 100% focus on skilled and long-term care services will help us be more successful.”
For more information on clinical care services, go to www.vnhch.org or call 603-356-7006.