Visiting Nurse Association of Southeast Missouri Boosts Patient Census by 15% with Smart Scheduling and Patient Visit Reminders

Automated scheduling and communication tools increase clinician efficiency and strengthen patient engagement.

DALLAS, April 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Homecare Homebase℠ (HCHB), the leading software provider for home-based care, today announced how its Smart Scheduling and Patient Visit Reminder solutions helped the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeast Missouri (VNASEMO) reverse declining referrals, increase clinician efficiency and grow its active daily census (ADC) by 15%.

Faced with nationwide staffing shortages, VNASEMO was forced to scale back operations and turn down referrals, resulting in a noticeable decline in patients receiving care. Recognizing the urgent need for a more efficient way to manage schedules and intake, the organization adopted HCHB's Smart Scheduling tool to regain control of operations and reallocate staff time toward direct patient care.

"Before Smart Scheduling, we had an LPN spending full-time hours managing the schedule," said Valerie Bollinger, Manager of Clinical Operations at VNASEMO. "Now, she only spends two hours a day on scheduling and the rest of her time seeing patients. It immediately allowed us to start accepting more referrals."

Smart Scheduling not only freed up staff time but also eliminated last-minute Sunday night scheduling work for administrators and reduced stress for clinicians. With the ability to plan for the week by Friday afternoon, clinicians now feel more in control of their schedules and better prepared to provide timely, high-quality care.

"At HCHB, we're proud to help home-based care providers do more than survive operational challenges—we help them thrive," said Luke Rutledge, President of HCHB. "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."

Since implementation, the agency has maintained a steady census of more than 200 patients—up more than 15%. The system's automation capabilities allow them to better match clinician availability with patient needs, even in a rural service area where travel times are high.

As part of their operational upgrade, VNASEMO also launched HCHB's Patient Visit Reminder text solution, which notifies patients and family caregivers in advance of scheduled visits. The results have been immediate and impactful: fewer missed visits, more efficient scheduling, and improved communication across the board.

"In our rural area, a missed visit can mean two hours of wasted clinician time," said Bollinger. "The texts help us confirm visits in advance, and patients are more responsive when they're expecting to hear from us. It's even helped family caregivers stay in the loop and ensure patients are ready for care."

By combining Smart Scheduling with Patient Visit Reminder, the organization is now able to accept more referrals, better engage patients and families, and ensure clinicians spend more time delivering care rather than managing logistics.

To learn more about how HCHB streamlines operations and the Smart Scheduling and Patient Visit Reminder solutions, go to www.hchb.com.

About Homecare Homebase, LLC

Founded by industry veterans in 1999, Homecare Homebase℠ (HCHB) is a Dallas-based software leader empowering exceptional home-based care through hosted, cloud-based technology solutions and administrative services. HCHB's customized mobile solutions enable real-time, wireless data exchange and communication between field clinicians, physicians and office staff for better care, more accurate reporting and improved revenue cycle management. HCHB's products and services streamline operations, simplify compliance and boost clinical and financial outcomes for home-based care agencies. Each year, over 300,000 HCHB users serve approximately one million patients daily, resulting in over 121 million annual visits. Homecare Homebase is a Hearst Health company. For more information, visit www.hchb.com or call us toll-free at 1-866-535-HCHB (4242).

About Hearst Health 

The mission of Hearst Health is to guide healthcare organizations by delivering essential intelligence and software that improve the quality, safety and efficiency of care. Hearst Health has been innovating with care for more than 40 years, with a commitment to making a lasting positive impact on health. The Hearst Health companies — FDB, Homecare Homebase, MCG, MHK, QGenda and Zynx Health — elevate care by informing and empowering participants across the health journey. To learn more, visit www.hearst.com/hearst-health and follow @Hearst Health on LinkedIn.

About VNASEMO

The mission statement of the Visiting Nurse Association is to set the standard for excellence in the delivery of home care service to the citizens of southeast Missouri through therapeutic, custodial, palliative, and preventative care in a cooperative and seamless system, utilizing innovation, diversification and cost effective methods in an environment that foster learning and demonstrates positive outcomes.

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SOURCE Homecare Homebase