Vanderbilt Home Care Services (VHCS) is celebrating its 40th anniversary, honoring decades of growth, resilience and commitment to patients. VHCS is Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s wholly owned home health agency.
The anniversary was commemorated with a department-wide picnic Oct. 25, celebrating the community behind the care.
Founded in 1985, VHCS has grown into a comprehensive home-based care program, serving a daily census of over 650 patients. Composed of a team of 175 licensed medical professionals, the department travels approximately 900,000 miles annually providing care across seven counties in middle Tennessee.
“We’re able to see patients in their real-world environments and address challenges that weren’t present during hospitalization or clinic visits, such as mismanaged medications or environmental stressors,” said Andrea Calhoun, BSN, RN, MSML, senior director of Operations for Vanderbilt Home Care Services. “We help patients and their caregivers navigate those issues and implement tools and resources to overcome them.”
VHCS provides a full spectrum of services to patients of all ages and is divided into two primary divisions: in-home visits and private duty care. The team also provides private pay Personal Care Attendants to patients in the home and to Vanderbilt University Medical Center adult hospital.
The in-home visit team develops short-term, personalized care plans tailored to each patient’s needs. Patients receive regular visits from nurses, a range of therapists, and social workers to address acute medical challenges and avoid rehospitalization through shared holistic care that promotes recovery and independence.
The private duty home health team provides continuous, in-home support for patients with chronic or medically complex conditions. These are often pediatric patients. Unlike traditional home health, this model offers long-term, hands-on care allowing the patients to stay in their home. It also offers vital relief and respite to families navigating the challenges of caregiving.
“Home care plays a critical role in bridging the gap between hospitalization and recovery. It allows us to teach, support, rehabilitate and deliver highly specific care in the environment where patients feel safest — their own home,” said Calhoun. “This not only helps with safe discharge planning and lowers the overall cost of care but also ensures continuity and dignity in the healing process. Our clinicians are exceptionally skilled, operating independently in complex situations without the immediate support of peers, which requires both clinical excellence and deep compassion.”
Home care offers a distinctive clinical environment that blends autonomy with interdisciplinary collaboration. It provides new clinicians with broad exposure to diverse conditions and skill sets, while giving experienced professionals the opportunity to apply their expertise across a wide range of patient scenarios. This dynamic setting fosters both growth and adaptability, making it a uniquely rewarding space for clinical practice.
“The professionals who make up this team are determined, resourceful, and deeply committed,” said Karen Keady, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, System Chief Nursing Officer. “They provide exceptional care in environments that are often unpredictable and beyond their control. Because of this, they have excellent critical thinking and clinical judgment skills. Their dedication is commendable, and their work is crucial to our patients and their caregivers in the home.”
Looking ahead, the department continues to focus on expanding access, training future clinicians and delivering high-quality care to patients where they need it most.
“While environments and challenges may vary, the unwavering commitment of our team does not,” said Amy Harrison, MSN, RN, President of Vanderbilt Home Care Services. “Our mission is to keep patients safe, informed, and on a clear path to recovery — whether they’re transitioning from a hospital stay or managing complex care at home. Home care allows us to deliver high-quality support in the most personal setting possible, and our staff rise to that challenge every day with skill, compassion and resilience.”
