Whether you are just starting a home healthcare agency or have been in business for years, there are several features to keep in mind when evaluating home healthcare software. Below are the top ten features to look for in a HHC software:1. Intake Management. Look for software that is able to quickly admit and process new patients as well as keep a running history of past patient episodes.2. Billing. It is not necessary to hire a billing consultant when you choose a home healthcare software with a built-in billing module. Make sure the software supports Medicare, Medicaid, Wellcare and private payers.3. Scheduling. Most software packages include scheduling but not all of them automatically schedule caretakers according to their availability. Your chosen software should automatically account for travel time, vacation days and sick leave.4. Customized Payroll System. Look for a software package that offers a customized payroll system so you can easily change pay rates, payroll methods (i.e. pay per visit, per hour or per unit), location rates and third party providers.5. Point of Care. Some software vendors offer this POC feature and others don’t. It is a very useful feature that allows your caregivers to enter visit notes via a web-browser and send them to your office. The Point of Care feature should work on all portable devices and communicate with the main software.6. POC 485 Forms. The software needs to be able to print your 485 forms on a standard printer.7. OASIS Management. Corrections and inactivations should be supported in this module, as well as OASIS validation and electronic submitting capabilities.8. Outlier Management. With this tool you can proactively manage and control the impact of outlier cases. Most outlier modules offer a PPS calculator.9. Reports. When you are evaluating the reporting feature on your prospective software, ask how many reports are available. Also find out if the reports, especially those for your patients, are translated in different languages.10. Narrative Builder. This feature is not offered in most software packages but is extremely convenient. The reason is that instead of having to type standard answers, you can choose answers from a library. Look for a builder with a search function and one that allows you to create your own answers.In addition to the features above, you are going to want a user-friendly Admissions module that allows you to easily process the in-take and discharge of patients.When you are evaluating the technology behind the software, make sure it does not require a digital certificate, modem or VPN to submit claims to Medicare. Also, choose a software that is web-based.Ask the software company if they provide free training and technical support. Also ask how much installation fees are. Lastly, ask for a demonstration so you can see all of the features in action.