Three local health agencies made the grade for 2011’s HomeCare Elite list.

Abbot Home Care in Coal Grove, St. Mary’s Home Health Service in Proctorville and Covenant Home Health Care Services in South Point made the list.

In response to receiving the Home Care Elite Top 500 performing home health agency designation, Jim Mitchell, owner of Covenant Home Health Care Services, commented,

“Our first priority at Covenant Home Health Care Services has always been to strive for excellence in patient care. Receiving this recognition is a tribute to that dedication and we are excited to be acknowledged for the third year as a top-performing agency. We enjoy serving the residents of Lawrence County, and being a part of this community.”

Abbott Home Care’s, Anna Malone and Paulette Klaiber, administrators, credit patient focus and commitment to service with the company’s ability to rank as one of the HomeCare Elite.

“We are honored to once again be recognized as a HomeCare Elite Top Agency,” Malone said. “This top rating is truly a testament to the knowledge, hard work and dedication of our nurses, therapists and other agency support staff.”

Klaiber agreed

“I am very proud of our staff for this achievement. I believe our strong commitment to customer service and continued dedication to community, have made Abbott Home Care who we are today,” she said.

St. Mary’s Home Health Service is one of 49 LHC Group home health providers incorporating 89 agency locations that achieved HomeCare Elite status for 2011. LHC Group is a national provider of home health and hospice services.

“This recognition is proof positive of what our patients already know,” said Keith G. Myers, LHC Group’s chairman and CEO. “Every day, our healthcare professionals deliver high-quality, compassionate and efficient care to the thousands of men and women who welcome us into their homes and lives. I commend St. Mary’s Home Health Service for leading the way – not only for our company but also for home health providers nationwide.”

Now in its sixth year, the HomeCare Elite identifies the top home health agencies in the

Nation. Winners are ranked by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, process of care measures, and financial performance.

The top 25 percent of agencies in each region were identified, followed by the top 100 and top 500 nationally recognized home health agencies. In total, 9,724 Medicare-certified home health agencies had sufficient data to be considered for the annual honor, and 2,434 agencies earned recognition as 2011 HomeCare Elite.