#USA #Homecare Homebase #Visiting Nurse Association #Smart Scheduling #Southeast Missouri

Boosting Patient Engagement: The VNASEMO Story

In today's rapidly evolving healthcare environment, organizations must employ innovative strategies to maintain and enhance service delivery. The Visiting Nurse Association of Southeast Missouri (VNASEMO) has exemplified this by utilizing advanced technologies to address the challenges posed by staffing shortages.

The VNASEMO faced significant hurdles. As a result of nationwide staffing shortages, the organization found itself scaling back operations. This led to a sharp decline in the number of patients receiving care, which was detrimental not only to the organization's bottom line but also to the community it serves. Faced with this pressing challenge, VNASEMO sought to revitalize its operations through enhanced scheduling efficiency and patient engagement.

Adoption of Smart Scheduling

In a bid to regain control over their operations, VNASEMO implemented Homecare Homebase's (HCHB) Smart Scheduling solution. This transformative tool allowed the organization to optimize its daily operations by reallocating staff time from administrative duties to direct patient care. Valerie Bollinger, Manager of Clinical Operations at VNASEMO, shared a compelling insight: "Before Smart Scheduling, we had an LPN spending full-time hours managing the schedule. Now, she only spends two hours a day on scheduling and the rest of her time seeing patients." This remarkable shift not only increased clinician efficiency but also enabled the organization to accept a higher number of referrals—ultimately boosting the daily active census (ADC) by 15%.

Improved Work Environments

The benefits of Smart Scheduling extended beyond just efficiency. By automating various scheduling tasks, VNASEMO reduced the last-minute stress typically associated with organizing clinician schedules on Sunday evenings. Clinicians now have their schedules planned by Friday, providing them with a sense of control and enabling them to prepare adequately for the week ahead. This improved work environment has translated into better care delivery for patients. Luke Rutledge, President of HCHB, remarked, “This is a great example of how smarter scheduling and communication tools can make an immediate difference in care delivery, patient engagement, and staff satisfaction.”

Introducing Patient Visit Reminders

In tandem with Smart Scheduling, VNASEMO also launched HCHB's Patient Visit Reminder text notification system. This innovative solution notifies patients and their family caregivers in advance about upcoming scheduled visits, resulting in fewer missed appointments. For VNASEMO, each missed visit has real costs associated, especially in rural areas where travel times are significant. As Bollinger explained, "In our rural area, a missed visit can mean two hours of wasted clinician time. The texts help us confirm visits in advance, and patients are more responsive when they know we're coming."

This streamlined approach has not only enhanced patient communication but also ensured that family caregivers are kept in the loop, ultimately readying patients for their care sessions.

The Impact and Future Prospects

Combining Smart Scheduling with Patient Visit Reminders has enabled VNASEMO to better engage with both patients and their families, ensuring that clinicians spend more of their time delivering essential care rather than managing administrative logistics. The outcome is evident, with VNASEMO's active daily patient census reaching over 200 patients consistently. This marks a significant achievement in their longstanding mission to deliver exceptional home care services.

To learn more about how Homecare Homebase is revolutionizing home health care, visit HCHB's website.

Conclusion

The story of VNASEMO serves as an inspiring case study in the home care industry. Through innovative technology and a focus on optimizing both patient engagement and clinician efficiency, they have turned challenges into significant increases in patient care. This model not only benefits the organization but, most importantly, positively impacts the lives of patients and their families in Southeast Missouri.