Should You Track Caregiver Travel Time?

Track the day, not just the visit

For home health and home care teams, the visit record is only one part of the day.

A caregiver may drive from home to a first client, travel between client homes, return to the office for supplies, pick up a same-day visit, or send a correction after the schedule changes.

Those moments are not all treated the same way. But if the agency cannot see them clearly, payroll review becomes guesswork.

Keep three records separate

Before payroll, the office should be able to tell:

• What visit happened.
• What time was worked.
• What mileage or travel note needs separate review.

EVV may help verify a visit. It does not automatically answer every payroll question around drive time, mileage, missed punches, corrections, or approvals.

What to check before payroll

Look for:

• Missing clock-ins or clock-outs between visits.
• Time records that do not match the schedule.
• Travel notes with no matching time entry.
• Mileage notes without a date or visit context.
• Manual corrections without a reason.
• Time cards that have not been approved.

The goal is not to question every caregiver. The goal is to catch unclear records while the day is still easy to explain.