Six years ago, clinicians at Vitas Healthcare were struggling.
The organization, which operates 49 hospice programs in 14 states, was maintaining information about patient care manually. Because about 80% of the company’s end-of-life services are delivered in the home, staff members were carrying overflowing binders, paper planners and weekly schedules from site to site. Any patient condition changes or schedule updates had to be called in, often several times a day.
The administrative burden was overwhelming employees and contributing to burnout.
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The company decided to move to a technology-centered operation model. It gave a mobile device to each nurse, home health aide and physician, pre-loaded with an app allowing staff to review and manage schedules on a single digital platform. The move has enabled Miami-based Vitas to create a central command hub for every hospice program, giving facility leaders a better understanding of workforce gaps and patient needs.
