According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, a patient qualifies as home-bound if the patient is unable to leave home or if leaving home requires a considerable and taxing effort. Patients may be considered home-bound if absences from the residence are infrequent, are of relatively short duration or are for the purpose of receiving medical treatment (e.g., medical appointments or trips to an adult day care agency). Attending ceremonies of a religious nature does not generally disqualify a patient from being considered home-bound. A patient who is unable to leave home without the help of assistive devices such as canes or walkers or who has a mental illness that may preclude leaving the home would also be considered home-bound.

The following are typical of conditions that indicate home-bound status:

Chair-bound, bed-bound Severe immune suppression Requiring 24-hour care and supervision Requiring maximum assistance for all activities Medically restricted due to risk of post-op infection Cannot safely leave the home without assistive devices Oxygen dependent Blindness Sever functional limitations Open, draining wounds Impaired mental status Pain restricting movement Terminal condition