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In a recent VOICES interview with Home Health Care News, Andrew O'Connell, Director of Product at Maxwell TEC, sat down with the publication to discuss the evolving role of communication in the home health and hospice space. In this interview, O'Connell shares where communication is headed in home care and hospice, how AI can enhance connection without feeling impersonal, and what will separate the organizations that thrive in 2026 from those that fall behind.
Key Takeaways from the Conversation
Home Health Care News: "How will AI change communication without making it feel automated or impersonal?"
O'Connell: "AI should make communication feel more personal, not more automated. The biggest shift is that it can tailor messages to a patient’s real context, their care plan, condition, literacy level, preferred cadence, caregiver involvement and even where they are in the journey, whether that’s a new admission or ongoing care."
Used well, AI helps make communication shorter, clearer and more empathetic while still keeping the organization’s voice consistent. The goal is not to replace people. It’s to extend care teams by reducing repetitive work, improving the quality of each touchpoint and helping staff focus more attention on the patients and families who need a higher level of support.
That’s where the balance matters. If AI is just blasting generic reminders, it will feel robotic. But if it’s helping teams communicate in a way that is more timely, relevant and human, patients will feel the difference."
Home Health Care News: "What problems are you solving that legacy communication tools do not address?"
O'Connell: "What we’re solving with our nanaCONNECT platform is continuous, compassionate communication that supports better care at home without adding more operational burden to agencies.
That’s where legacy communication tools often fall short. A lot of them are built to send messages at volume, but not to measure whether those messages are being understood, acted on or leading to better outcomes. In home care and hospice, communication gaps show up in very real ways, missed visits, medication confusion, caregiver burnout and avoidable escalations or readmissions.
Organizations need more than message delivery. They need visibility into what’s working by cohort, branch and program, along with the ability to tailor communication using patient-appropriate language, actionable resources and feedback loops that show where engagement is strong and where it is breaking down. AI helps by reducing repetitive work, like drafting message variations, adjusting reading level, recommending resources and improving timing based on prior engagement. That makes communication more effective without making it more burdensome for staff."
Home Health Care News: "How will communication platforms evolve from reminders to care guidance?"
O'Connell: "Reminders are table stakes. The next step is care guidance, a more structured series of interactions that helps patients and caregivers understand what to do, when to do it and why it matters.
In home-based care, that might mean symptom check-ins, educational touchpoints, what-to-expect guidance and simple ways to escalate to a human when needed. The goal is not just to remind someone of an appointment or task. It’s to support them through the care journey in a way that feels useful and easy to act on.
AI can help by recommending the next best message and tailoring communication based on care stage, condition, support network and preferences. For an older adult, that might mean simpler language, fewer links or more predictable timing. For a caregiver, it might mean symptom resources, respite information or guidance on what comes next.
The agency still stays in control. What the platform does is enable more precise communication and better measurement, so organizations can see whether patients are confirming, clicking, responding or asking for help, then adjust the messaging accordingly. That’s how communication evolves from reminders into real support."
Looking Ahead: Building Smarter, More Connected Care
Andrew O'Connell’s insights reinforce Maxwell TEC’s commitment to tech-enabled care communication that connects patients and caregivers. Through our nanaCONNECT platform, we offer continuous, compassionate communication that supports better care at home without adding more operational burden to agencies.
To read the full interview, visit: Home Health Care News VOICES: Andrew O'Connell
