Hear More Executive Insights from Home Care 100 [Last Visit First Podcast]
I just returned from the 2026 Home Care 100 Conference in Scottsdale, AZ, and as always, the conversations were energizing, candid, practical, and timely.
What stood out most wasn’t a single technology or trend—it was the collective clarity operators are gaining around what matters most over the next 12–24 months.
Here are some of my top takeaways from the event:
1. Patient Engagement Is Not Optional
Home health and hospice executives were aligned on one thing: engagement and communication with patients must improve.
Whether it’s reducing missed visits, avoiding re-hospitalizations, improving patient satisfaction, or supporting clinicians in the field, organizations recognize that intermittent and disconnected touchpoints aren’t enough.
The focus is shifting from documentation-first workflows to patient-centric communication models that extend beyond visits—without creating more burden for clinicians.
2. Data Is Everywhere… and Nowhere at the Same Time
Another consistent theme was frustration with fragmented data.
Leaders are sitting on valuable insights spread across:
- EMRs
- Disparate technology solutions
- Revenue cycle platforms
- Patient engagement solutions
- Third-party analytics tools
The challenge isn’t necessarily the lack of data, but rather a lack of cohesion. Executives are looking for ways to pull signal from noise, normalize data across systems, and turn analytics into daily operational decisions—not retrospective reports.
3. Tech Decision Fatigue Is Growing
The market is flooded with new tools, AI promises, and “next-gen” platforms. Many leaders shared the same concern:
How do we choose the right solutions without chasing every shiny object?
There’s a growing appreciation for intentional technology selection—tools that integrate cleanly, solve a defined problem, and support people and process rather than replacing them blindly.
4. AI: Replace the Right Things, Not Everything
AI was everywhere at Home Care 100—but the tone has matured. Executives aren’t asking if AI will play a role at this point; they’re asking where it should and shouldn’t.
With reimbursement pressure continuing, the focus is squarely on:
- Reducing back-office cost
- Automating repetitive, non-clinical work
- Supporting—not displacing—clinical judgment
The winners will be organizations that apply AI precisely and intentionally.
5. M&A Activity Is Strong, But Integration Is the Real Work
Both provider and private equity activity remain high across home health and hospice. But the conversation has shifted from getting deals done to making them work.
Leaders are keenly aware that:
- Platform value is created post-close
- Integration speed matters
- Shared services, data, and operating models determine ROI
The ability to integrate acquisitions into a scalable, repeatable platform is becoming a core competency—not a back-office afterthought.
Final Thoughts from the 2026 Home Care 100 Leadership Conference
Home Care 100 reinforced something we see every day at Maxwell TEC: execution beats ideas.
The organizations pulling ahead are the ones simplifying complexity, aligning technology to strategy, and staying focused on what truly moves outcomes—for patients, clinicians, and operators.
The future of home-based care isn’t about more tools. It’s about clarity, integration, and intentional transformation.
