Panhandle Home Health Reaches Thirty

Local Agency Celebrating Thirty Years in Business

Martinsburg, West Virginia – When founded in 1976, Panhandle Home Health, Inc. (PHH) had a budget of $50,000 and two employees who were hired using federal grant money.  The first Medicare check PHH received was for $291.20 and nurses earned $5.40 per hour.  What a difference thirty years makes!  PHH now has 44 employees, their 2006 budget is $3.5 million, and their staff travels over 28,000 miles a year in Jefferson, Berkeley, and Morgan Counties to tend to their patient’s. 

Locally owned and operated, Panhandle Home Health is a nonprofit home health care agency.  In addition to being a cost effective method of health care delivery, Panhandle Home Health helps improve their patients’ quality of life by enabling them to remain in the comfort of their own home during times of illness, disability, or recuperation.  The idea for Panhandle Home Health began when a local physician, famous for delivering most of the babies in Berkeley County, needed assistance with the care of his wife.  The Quota Club formed a steering committee and obtained funding to survey the community to determine need, and found that there was a definite need for quality in-home medical care. 

“Being at home makes a world of difference in a patient’s recovery,” stated Lisa Bivens, PHH Administrator.  Panhandle Home Health offers a wide variety of specialized services that are tailored to meet the needs of the individual as directed by their physician.  Their licensed and credentialed staff includes registered professional nurses, physical and occupational therapists, medical social workers, and home health aides.  “Our staff is among the best in the business and most have been with PHH for several years,” stated Bivens.  “They teach family and friends how to properly care for the patient, making our services even more significant.”

In their thirty years, Panhandle Home Health has received numerous awards and recognitions, such as Best Home Health Organization and outstanding participation in the United Way.  “We’ve been in business for thirty years, but this is just the beginning,” stated Bivens.  “We recently purchased property on Old Mill Road and are planning to construct an office facility.  We are currently in the midst of selecting an architect and hope to begin construction in the spring of 2007.”

PHH is a member of the United Way of Jefferson County and the United Way of Berkeley and Morgan Counties.  If you or a loved one could benefit from their services, contact Panhandle Home Health at 304-263-5680 or visit their newly redesigned website at www.panhandlehomehealth.org.

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