A few months back, I had a memorable conversation with Nedi, the director of a New Jersey disability services provider. She shared her vision of a mission-driven approach beyond simply meeting the EVV (Electronic Visit Verification) mandate. Her needs—and those of many providers like her—were distinct from typical home care services, requiring a unique, flexible approach. She taught me the key challenges disability service providers face and why a provider-centered software solution often offers a better alternative.

Understanding the Complex Needs of Disability Services

For Nedi and similar providers, EVV is just one part of the puzzle. Disability services are goal-driven and tailored to empower participants to live their best lives. Here are some key challenges that mission-driven providers face:

1. Selective EVV Requirements
   Unlike many home care settings, only some visits in disability services require EVV. For instance, family caregiver visits and community events are EVV-exempt, requiring a more nuanced approach. Nedi wanted a system that could manage EVV requirements automatically, so her team could focus on participant care, not on navigating software settings.

2. Goal-Oriented Documentation
   Disability services require more than transactional record-keeping; they need a system that supports documentation of participant Goals, Activities, and Strategies. This ensures that the services help participants achieve meaningful, personal milestones, with progress being carefully tracked.

3. DayHab Services Documentation
   DayHab services, exempt from EVV, come with their challenges. For Nedi, documenting multiple participants each day in DayHab was both time-consuming and distracting. She envisioned a system where the activity leader could provide a summary of the session, while individual staff only needed to log specific participant support (e.g., hand-over-hand assistance).

4. Need for Business Intelligence
   While her system managed scheduling, onboarding, and billing, it lacked true Business Intelligence insights. Nedi needed a deeper view into financial performance, compliance, and service delivery—key indicators for optimizing her organization and ensuring service quality.

5. Flexible Weekly Authorizations
   Service authorizations in disability support often come week-by-week, taking holidays and other nuances into account. Tracking unit utilization for each participant was a challenge, one that required a flexible system.

Why Aggregator Software May Not Meet These Needs

An aggregator solution might seem like a simpler, quicker option, but the limitations can impact mission-driven providers. Aggregator systems aren’t designed to meet the unique requirements of disability services. They generally lack rich documentation for goal-oriented services, streamlined handling for family caregivers and DayHab, and EVV customization. Recently, HHAX even acquired Sandata, doubling down on their aggregator approach, which centralizes control but may leave little room for customization and optimization for each provider's mission.

The Case for Provider-Centric Software

Provider-centric software is developed with the distinct needs of disability services in mind. It’s a system that can adapt to the dynamic requirements of providers like Nedi’s organization, prioritizing person-centered support while enhancing business outcomes. When designed in collaboration with providers, these systems can:

• Automate EVV compliance where needed, while also excluding exempt services
• Enhance documentation by tracking goals and progress in a format that serves disability services, not just home care
• Simplify DayHab documentation so staff can focus more on participant support and less on paperwork
• Deliver powerful Business Intelligence, giving providers a clear view of their operations, performance, and compliance
• Track weekly service authorizations in a user-friendly way, helping maximize participant support while managing resources efficiently Disability Services

Why Consider a Change?

If you're a disability services provider using an aggregator solution and finding it doesn’t fully support your mission-driven work, it might be time to consider a provider-centric option. At Ankota, we’re proud to collaborate with New Jersey providers like Nedi to improve support and grow their organizations. Each new partnership helps us refine our platform, making it better suited to your mission and goals.

Ready to Explore a New Solution?

If HHAX or similar systems meet your needs, you’re in good hands. But if you’re looking for a solution built around your mission, we’re here to help. Reach out to learn more about provider-centric software designed with providers, for providers.

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