Betty Mylcraine's life has to stay pretty quiet these days.

After sporadic heart problems and a pacemaker installed a month ago, getting around is tricky for the 85-year-old. Most days are spent in her light blue easy chair, surrounded by her daughter and her schnauzer, Ashley.

"It's hard for her to get out," her daughter, Nancy Mylcraine, said, watching her mother rock in her chair on Tuesday afternoon.

All the more excited they are that Betty has been able to receive health care without leaving her Coeur d'Alene home lately.

For the past few weeks, Betty has participated in Panhandle Health District's Home Health program, where health providers visit less mobile patients at their own abodes to help them regain independence and prevent them from needing hospitalization.

The visits, which run about half an hour, make all the difference to Betty.

"It's a whole new world," she said. "It's them coming here. That's instead of having me in a wheelchair to get me to the hospital. And they're real good people."

The local program isn't skimping on providing care for folks in Mylcraine's position.

Panhandle Home Health has been ranked in the top 10 percent of home health programs nationwide by Home Health Quality Improvement, on account of so few patients being hospitalized.

PHD has an average 14.3 percent home health patients who need hospitalization. That trumps the state average of 17.2 percent, and the national average of 27.5 percent.

"If I was looking for home health care and I saw that an agency had a low rate for patients needing hospitalization, that would tell me that there's an excellent set of clinicians there," said Mary DeTienne, director of the health district's Home Health division. "I'm very proud of our home health staff."

The visits to Betty's are quick but efficient.

A couple times a week, a nurse visits to take her vitals like pulse and temperature, as well as a blood sample.

It is a relief to have constant updates on her status, Betty said, especially since she has worried about a cold that has bothered her since the pacemaker was put in.

"They know what they're doing, and they do a good job," she said. "They're on time when they say they'll be here, and if they're not on time, they call."

On some days, a physical therapist visits and takes her through exercises like leg lifts.

Although she runs out of breath, she's glad to do them, she said.

"I realize I have to do them to keep myself limber," said Betty, whose visits are covered by Medicare.

Most patients receiving home health care are homebound for medical reasons, whether chronic conditions like congestive heart failure, or recent surgery.

Home health care is typically short term, until patients show improvement and can take care of themselves.

On top of home visits, Panhandle Home Health also provides its patients with fliers that show when their symptoms are under control, and when they need help.

"This is the first time we have been recognized for our low hospitalization rates, though we've had low rates before," said Joyce Bergen, PHD's outcome-based quality improvement coordinator. "It tells our staff they're doing a really good job of taking care of our patients."

Home Health Quality Improvement is a national movement to improve home health care.

More than 4,500 home health agencies nationwide participate in HHQI, putting Panhandle Home Health in the top 450.

HHQI focuses on reducing the number of home health patients who need to be hospitalized. Its rankings are based off agency reports filed with Medicare.

Information on Panhandle Home Health is available at the PHD website: www.phd1.idaho.gov. Or call: (208) 415-5160.

Betty said that besides the health care help, she also just enjoys when the nurses give her a little chat.

"They're real nice girls," she said.