The impact of an Optum at Home nurse
Those who need us most
Spending hours in her car driving through rural Arkansas is just a regular day of work for Linda Jackson, an Optum at Home nurse.
“I drive a hundred or more milers per day, and I do that three to four days a week,” Linda said. “My office lets me see the world and I get to go meet people where they’re comfortable, in their home.”
Linda works primarily with UnitedHealthcare’s dual special needs (D-SNP) population, those that qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. This population tends to have more health challenges, including multiple chronic conditions and barriers to accessing care — making them a good candidate for in-home visits.
D-SNP members may have access to in-home or virtual assessments with a provider to help close gaps in care. Optum at Home nurses, like Linda, can assess a person’s overall health, including medication adherence and environmental safety. They can then refer members to additional specialists or appointments, as needed.
“Once I’ve been out to the member’s home and identified their needs, we all work as a team to make sure we coordinate that care,” Linda said. “We sit down and talk about their health and things that can promote their health, and risks or barriers or obstacles they face to getting their care.”
UnitedHealthcare serves about 2.1 million members enrolled in D-SNP. Of that 2.1 million, roughly 800,000 receives care from Optum at Home.
“I really enjoy our mission and vision and what we stand for,” Linda said. “I am very passionate about Optum at Home.”
