Advertise on podcast: Home Health 360: Presented By AlayaCare

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Adrian Schauer, CEO and co-founder of AlayaCare, shares his top predictions for 2026 and explores how agentic AI is evolving from a bold vision for the future to an essential reality of daily operations for home-based care providers. Adrian explains how AI agents are rapidly becoming dependable infrastructure—supporting vacant-visit scheduling, visit verification, care-plan generation, and other crucial workflows to reduce administrative burden, standardize care delivery, and free staff to focus on people, not paperwork. He discusses why the next phase of transformation will center on improving interoperability, point-of-care support, and revenue-cycle intelligence, with automated intake, real-time clinical assistance, and voice-enabled documentation driving faster admissions, stronger compliance, and healthier cash flow. Adrian also highlights broader industry trends shaping 2026, including the shift to deeper, evidence-based leadership, predictive scheduling, and workforce models that align caregiver experience with client outcomes. The result is a new operating model for home-based care—where technology compounds operational gains, stabilizes the workforce, and creates the foundation for delivering better care at scale. Episode resources: Blog: Home care trends – Top 5 predictions for 2026 and beyondAlayaFlow: AlayaCare's Agentic AI-powered workflow platformWebinar: Introducing AlayaFlow – Meet the AI agentsWebinar: The state of home-based care in 2026 – Key insights for providersAI at AlayaCare: Explore our AI toolsHow AlayaCare is Revolutionizing Home Care with AI-Based Solutions to Address Industry’s Most Challenging ProblemsIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail Fear of implementation shouldn’t keep a good platform on the sidelines. We break down a practical path to go live with confidence, comparing a fast, best-practice enablement approach with a deeper, customized PSO route and exploring how to pick the right fit based on outcomes and investment, not just organization size. Sarah Payne, Associate Director of Customer Enablement at AlayaCare, pulls back the curtain on what separates “live” from “ready.” She shares why rushed timelines often create surface-level use, higher support needs, and missed features—then explains how to prevent that with the right project team, six to ten hours of focused time each week, and a learning plan that builds durable superusers. We get into the hard part many overlook: data migration. From extracting legacy data to cleaning, mapping, and validating it, Sarah outlines how to set standards and ownership so day one runs smoothly. Related resources: Blog: How AlayaCare makes implementation work: A practical guide to rolling out home care softwareBlog: Successful software implementation: The AlayaCare implementation approachPodcast: Successful software implementation for organizational transformation in home-based care If you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail What does “good” actually look like in home-based care? We dig into a clear, practical answer and show how a four-pillar maturity model transforms messy data into confident decisions. With AlayaCare’s Alex Skinner, we break down operational excellence, employee experience, health outcomes, and financial performance, then map them to the few metrics that truly move the needle. You’ll hear why benchmarking needs two angles — trend your own progress and compare against look-alike peers — to avoid blind spots and focus on the right bets. Alex walks us through live examples of scheduler productivity and authorization utilization, revealing how standardized definitions, quartiles, and time-series views help leaders see impact fast. We also explore why some tempting metrics got cut, how customer success coaching adds crucial context, and how to resist “what’s easy to measure” in favor of “what’s worth measuring”. Episode Resources: Webinar: Harnessing data intelligence for better outcomes: How data-driven insights are transforming home-based careBlog: 3 steps to leverage data science in home careToolkit: Growth in home-based care: How to make the most out of your dataVideo: Elara Caring: Harnessing data for better patient outcomesIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail Anthony Spero shares his experience transitioning Caring People from a 20-year-old proprietary software system to AlayaCare, resulting in improved caregiver satisfaction and more time for patient care. Caring People developed their own software 20 years ago when few options existed for home care providers. The organization expanded from two states to six through acquisitions, revealing limitations in its proprietary system. Since implementing AlayaCare, real-time data access has transformed operations, allowing immediate insights into missed visits, caregiver punctuality, and client satisfaction. Most importantly, caregivers now spend more time with clients rather than struggling with technology. If you're considering a technology transition for your home care organization, remember that software development isn't your core business — focus on what you do best and partner with technology experts who understand the unique needs of home-based care. Episode resources: Brochure: Head to Head: Legacy Software vs Alayacare Blog: How AlayaCare makes implementation work: A practical guide to rolling out home care software Blog: Successful software implementation: The AlayaCare implementation approach Podcast: Successful software implementation for organizational transformation in home-based care If you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail Jennifer Maxwell of Maxwell TEC shares how patient-centered technology is transforming home-based care by focusing on how patients feel rather than just clinical measurements. • Personalized care plans should prioritize patient feelings over diagnostic measurements • Technology can enable real-time patient feedback through simple text messaging • Effective remote patient monitoring doesn't require complicated or expensive equipment • Solutions that remain available post-discharge maintain connection and prevent readmissions • Employee satisfaction directly correlates with patient outcomes and satisfaction • Automated check-ins with staff can identify concerns before they lead to turnover • Family engagement through text updates keeps distant caregivers informed • Real-time feedback allows agencies to address concerns immediately • Technology should integrate people, process, and tools for maximum effectiveness • The ultimate goal is to enable more people to age in place with dignity Episode Resources: Blog: The future of home and community care: Predictions for 2025 and beyond Blog: The key to better client experience? Improving communication between home and community care providers and clientsGuide: How employee experience drives success in home and community careGuide: The Future of AI in Home and Community Care Guide: The Effects of Machine Learning Powered Remote Patient Monitoring on Home Health CarePodcast: Unlocking AI’s potential in home and community care with Naomi GoldapplePodcast: Using AI to automate key processes in home and community care with Jeff SalterIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail AI in home healthcare serves as a decision support system that helps professionals make better choices by analyzing data, surfacing key information, and providing suggestions while keeping final decisions in human hands. • AI scribes can transcribe caregiver-client conversations and automatically populate required forms • Digital assistants prepare caregivers for visits by providing quick client summaries and highlighting recent changes • Predictive models identify patients at risk of adverse events, helping clinicians prioritize care • AI tools must maintain the same security permissions as existing systems and comply with HIPAA regulations • Explainable AI models help build clinician trust by showing why specific recommendations were made • Voice technology represents the exciting future of AI in healthcare, moving from assistive to autonomous capabilities Episode Resources: AI Resource Hub: https://alayacare.com/ai-resource-hub/Podcast: Agentic AI and the future of home-based care: Predictions for 2025 with Adrian SchauerPodcsat: Tackling home care staffing challenges with AI technologyToolkit: AI in home and community care: Your complete guideIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail Dave Marchand reveals how New Day Healthcare's Carelytics platform bridges critical gaps in the traditional home healthcare delivery model by unifying patient data across service lines. Through advanced analytics and proactive interventions, this approach transforms care delivery from reactive, reimbursement-driven episodes to comprehensive patient journeys that identify early decline indicators and prevent catastrophic health events. • The traditional healthcare model operates reactively, with treatment only beginning after a significant decline • The Carelytics platform connects data across personal care, home health, and hospice service lines • Care gap programs focus on specific patient populations and trigger appropriate early interventions • Unified healthcare data model creates a complete "patient journey" view spanning years, not just visits • New acquisitions maintain their existing platforms while gaining immediate access to innovation • AI technology enables the identification of complex patterns and orchestrates appropriate interventions • Single service providers can develop similar approaches through strategic partnerships Episode Resources: Webinar: Harnessing data intelligence for better outcomes: How data-driven insights are transforming home-based careBlog: 3 steps to leverage data science in home careToolkit: Growth in home-based care: How to make the most out of your dataVideo: Elara Caring: Harnessing data for better patient outcomesIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail Three dedicated home-based care professionals share their journeys into caregiving and the profound moments that shape their work every day. Their personal stories reveal how compassion, creativity, and human connection transform lives on both sides of the caregiving relationship. • Finding purpose through personal experience – caregivers inspired by caring for their own family members • Supporting clients and families during end-of-life care with dignity and compassion • Creative problem-solving to meet emotional needs, not just physical ones • The critical importance of family connection in client wellbeing • Finding humor and joy in caregiving relationships • Strategies for avoiding burnout, including peer support and maintaining a positive mindset • Walking in with a smile regardless of personal challenges • The profound impact of simply being present during difficult moments Episode resources: Podcast: How good leadership improves employee retention and client outcomes with Peter SvennebyBlog: Reimagining care: Why digital transformation starts with peopleBlog: Embracing AI technology to recruit and retain caregiversBlog: Tackling the caregiver shortage – 5 effective strategies for retentionBlog: 4 ways to retain caregivers in home-based careBlog: 4 tips to improve caregiver experience through scheduling and route optimizationBlog: The future of home-based care – Predictions for 2025 and beyondWebinar: Critical Strategies for Caregiver Retention – The First 90 DaysVideo: How Elara Caring prioritizes caregiver experience with AlayaCareVideo: Employee experience as the cornerstone of competitive advantageIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Stephen Tweed, Chairman and CEO at Leading Home Care, shares essential insights from the highest-performing home care companies, revealing seven critical lessons that drive success in today's competitive market. His extensive research and mastermind groups with top companies uncover the strategies that separate industry leaders from the rest. Those strategies include: • Crafting a strong culture based on leadership style, core values, and consistent behaviors • Being purpose-driven and sharing authentic stories that create emotional connections • Building amazing teams through sophisticated recruitment and development processes • Thinking systematically with repeatable processes that enable scalability Episode resources: EBook: Six Secrets of Selling Home Care to Your Ideal Client (50% off with promo code: ALAYACARE25)Visit leadinghomecare.com to subscribe to Stephen Tweed's "Thursday Thoughts" newsletterCase Study: Future of Home Care 2025 Podcast: The top 3 causes of 90 day caregiver turnoverPodcast: Unpacking the impact of positive work culture in healthcareBlog: 6 ways to create a culture of belonging to improve employee retention in home-based careIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rachel Gartner, founder and CEO of Carework, shares how home-based care agencies can transform recruitment and hiring from a major challenge into a strategic advantage. Rachel, a former home care recruiter, explains what it means to adopt a “caregiver-first mindset” and how this approach drives improved recruitment results, positive employee experience, better client care, and ultimately overall agency success by focusing on caregivers’ needs during the hiring process. Rachel discusses several important issues affecting the recruiting and hiring processes that can be improved by seeing situations from a caregiver’s perspective. In addition, Rachel shares many practical strategies for improving your agency’s recruitment process, such as creative ways to engage potential hires, tips for leveraging referral programs, integrating technology without losing the personal touch, utilizing metrics to track recruitment success and improve processes, and more. Check out this episode to drive greater success in your recruitment process by prioritizing caregiver needs so you can attract the right applicants and meet the growing demand for care workers. Episode resources: Carework – Home care’s hiring expertsHireEd – Caregiver hiring accelerator coursePodcast: How good leadership improves employee retention and client outcomes with Peter SvennebyBlog: Embracing AI technology to recruit and retain caregiversBlog: Tackling the caregiver shortage – 5 effective strategies for retentionBlog: 4 ways to retain caregivers in home-based careBlog: 4 tips to improve caregiver experience through scheduling and route optimizationBlog: The future of home-based care – Predictions for 2025 and beyondWebinar: Critical Strategies for Caregiver Retention – The First 90 DaysVideo: How Elara Caring prioritizes caregiver experience with AlayaCareVideo: Employee experience as the cornerstone of competitive advantageIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Adrian Schauer, CEO and co-founder of AlayaCare, shares his top predictions for 2025 and discusses the major trends and developments that will shape the future of home-based care. Chief among these predictions is the rise of agentic AI and how this transformative technology will empower caregivers to deliver smarter, more proactive care. Adrian explains how AI agents will go beyond simple automation to serve as decision-making partners providing real-time insights, personalized care plans, and streamlined workflows that alleviate administrative burdens and improve patient outcomes. Additionally, Adrian discusses other key predictions, including how small, continuous improvements across workflows will act as a flywheel that generates exponential impacts for both operational efficiency and care quality. Adrian also emphasizes the importance of employee experience as a cornerstone for agency success and how prioritizing caregiver well-being and overall satisfaction will be a distinct competitive advantage in a challenging labor market. Related resources: Blog: The future of home-based care: Adrian’s predictions for 2025 and beyondWebinar: 4 revolutionary use cases for AI in home-based careMeet Layla, AlayaCare's new AI assistant built from home-based careWebinar: Live Platform Tour – See Layla in actionPodcast: Using AI to automate key processes in home-based care with Jeff SalterHow AlayaCare is Revolutionizing Home Care with AI-Based Solutions to Address Industry’s Most Challenging ProblemsIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Barbara Andazola, VP of Clinical Practice, Strategy, and Programs at Amedisys, discusses the groundbreaking role of molecular testing in home health care. As an RN with over 27 years of nursing experience, Barbara shares how Amedisys is leveraging PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) testing to diagnose infections like UTIs, respiratory conditions, and even COVID-19 faster and more accurately at home. By identifying pathogens within hours, this technology not only improves patient outcomes but also helps prevent hospitalizations and antibiotic resistance. Barbara explores the challenges and rewards of integrating this advanced technology into home care, its impact on reducing healthcare costs, and the future possibilities for further innovation in diagnostics. Listen to this episode to learn how molecular testing is not only improving care but also driving efficiency, reducing healthcare costs, and shaping the future of home-based care—proving that innovation in home health care can lead to faster, smarter, and more precise treatment at home. Related resources: Prevent hospitalizations and adverse events with AlayaCare's Client Intelligence SuiteAlayaCare Cloud platform for Home Health providersIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Avanlee Christine, founder of Avanlee Care, shares the inspiring story behind her mission to support unpaid and informal family caregivers. Motivated by personal experience caring for her grandfather, Avanlee developed a groundbreaking app that empowers family members providing care to loved ones with the tools they need to ensure quality care delivery at home while also providing resources to support the wellbeing of the caregivers themselves. Avanlee highlights the critical role of technology in supporting the often-overlooked unpaid caregivers, who are essential to caring for seniors at home, and discusses how innovations like medication management and health monitoring are reshaping senior care. She also reveals how partnerships with tech leaders like Fitbit and her collaboration with Mark Cuban are driving down costs, enhancing care, and connecting family caregivers to broader healthcare systems, plus she discusses her pilot program with Walmart that is helping family caregivers navigate daily tasks, like ordering groceries, with ease. If you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail With 10,000 people turning 65 every day, it’s estimated that the home-based care industry will need a staggering 2.5 million additional care workers over the next five years. In this episode, Todd Houghton, Brand President of Homewatch CareGivers, shares his passion for franchising and discussed how his company is enabling franchisees to meet the ever-increasing demand for home-based care services by embracing the benefits of the franchise model and deploying innovative technology. Todd shares how the franchise model provides a strong position for franchisees to grow their businesses and accelerate their entrepreneurial journey and how his company has helped franchisees recruit and retain quality employees, including programs to provide training and education to develop non-traditional caregivers. Todd also shares details about a new, technology-driven virtual care service line launched by his company that’s proven highly impactful for enriching client experience by reducing hospital visits, combating loneliness and isolation, enhancing connectivity, and delivering higher quality care all while enhancing caregiver efficiency. Check out this episode to see how franchising and technology can converge in the future to meet the continuous demand for quality home-based care. Episode resources: Blog: How home care franchises can bolster franchisee relationshipsAlayaCare for franchisesAlayaCare for franchisee managementHomewatch Connect – Virtual home care technologyIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, healthcare finance expert Mark Patterson shares key insights into the ever-evolving world of mergers and acquisitions in home-based care. Drawing upon his time as CFO for home healthcare companies and more than 30 years of experience, Mark discusses top trends that are reshaping the market, including the growing demand for integrated care models that combine skilled and unskilled services and surging investor interest driving fierce competition among buyers. With interest rates stabilizing and regulatory changes on the horizon, agencies must focus on prioritizing and demonstrating streamlined processes, scalability, and high quality of care to attract potential buyers. Mark emphasizes how leveraging advanced technology and developing strong operational metrics will not only lead agencies to thrive but will also become key capabilities to attract potential buyers in the future. Related resources: Podcast: Mastering the art of home-based care mergers, acquisitions, and integration with Jen LentzPodcast: The business of mergers and acquisitions in home care with Robinson + ColeBlog: 4 growth strategies for home care agencies from industry expertsBlog: Key performance indicators – The power of data in home careBlog: 4 ways to improve home care inefficiencies with technologyAlayaLabs: Transforming healthcare with AI-powered predictive toolsIf you liked this episode and want to learn more about all things home-based care, you can explore all our episodes at alayacare.com/homehealth360.