Home Health Care News Voices Interview with Robert Dean, CEO of CareTime

In this Voices interview, Home Health Care News sits down with Bob Dean, CEO, CareTime, to explore how agencies are processing their EVV and claims data, along with the challenges they face. He discusses the lack of visibility and necessary features associated with many of today’s platforms, and he explains how CareTime’s new product CareTime V3 is offering providers a solution to those challenges. 

Home Health Care News: What career experiences do you most draw from in your role today?

Bob Dean: For me, the appeal is being a jack of all trades. My role is great because it offers a lot of variety and I’m never stuck doing the same task repetitively. At 10:00 AM, I might be collaborating with sales staff on a project, and by 11:30, I’m deeply engaged in a development meeting. This variety suits me well, and it certainly keeps things from getting boring. 

I ran a software company when I was younger, and the ability to handle a wide range of responsibilities, from major decisions to minor details, was paramount to our survival. This experience was invaluable, and it provided the building blocks for the intricate skillset I draw from today.

What processes are agencies currently utilizing to submit EVV and claims data or payment information? What are some of the key challenges agencies face?

Right now, I think the field of claims submission, Electronic Visit Verification (EVV), and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) is at a fascinating juncture. Legacy EMR vendors, established before the advent of EVV, centered their platforms on features like scheduling and payroll integration. Then EVV emerged and significantly changed the landscape.

The introduction of EVV has led to the emergence of new vendors, whose foundations are primarily in EVV. As a result, we have two distinct groups of vendors: the legacy ones with their traditional approach, and the new ones rooted in EVV. This leaves agencies in a dilemma, having to choose between these differing approaches.

With so many resources available to assist with EVV and claims data, why are agencies still struggling to navigate these processes?

Many agencies are already committed to these legacy EMR systems. In the legacy era, claims were simply sent, received, and paid if legitimate, but the landscape has changed dramatically. Now, after pressing ‘send,’ there’s a complex journey through EVV portals and payers, with multiple potential pitfalls, leaving many unsure about the status of their claims.

New companies have emerged, focusing specifically on navigating this complex ’10-mile stretch’ of EVV-related processes, but they often lack robust features in traditional areas like scheduling and authorizations. In contrast, the legacy vendors have a blindspot in the new landscape of EVV, so each path requires a sacrifice in most scenarios.

What kinds of solutions should agencies consider to eliminate inefficiencies and put more time and money back into their businesses?

Currently, the key is not to feel pressured into choosing between an EMR with excellent in-office features and one that provides clear visibility into claims tracking. Many agencies struggle with this dilemma, especially concerning the ‘blind spot’ of tracking their claims. They face a cumbersome process of executing numerous steps for billing and are often left guessing about the progress and payment status of their claims, which shouldn’t necessarily be an either/or situation.

Why are so many of the current EVV and claims data solutions failing to meet agency needs as the home-based care industry evolves?

Most solutions continue to categorize agencies as EVV-focused or EMR-focused companies. They haven’t acknowledged that successful operation in today’s environment requires a blend of both EVV and EMR capabilities. Legacy vendors tend to be rooted in their traditional EMR-focused approach, while newer, EVV-related vendors are similarly confined to their initial focus. This has resulted in a lack of comprehensive solutions that effectively integrate both aspects.

How do EVV and claims data processing solutions transforming the way home-based care businesses operate today?

Looking beyond home care at the broader health care sector, vendors are engaging in advanced interoperability. They’re using standard tools and formats for data exchange, providing clear insights into data origins and destinations. However, within the current home care market, this level of interoperability hasn’t been widely adopted by the vendors we see as competitors. This gap is where many agencies are finding challenges. Agencies would greatly benefit if EMR vendors more actively embraced and implemented the concept of interoperability in their systems.

Finish this sentence: “In the home-based care industry, 2024 will be defined by…”

…the players who can master both parts of the EMR-EVV equation.

The current mindset in EMR development suggests a choice between an excellent internal agency toolset and strong visibility tools for claims and data tracking, but this is a false dichotomy. The truly successful agency in 2024 will integrate these aspects without bias towards a single perspective. Our aim is to move beyond the limited view of legacy EMR systems and the EVV-focused approach, ensuring high-quality tools in both areas. We believe it’s possible and necessary to excel in both.

With CareTime V3, we’ve developed a product that doesn’t force agencies to choose between superior EVV and claims visibility tools or top-notch phone apps and scheduling features. V3 is designed to move away from a single-focus approach and provide a comprehensive, integrated solution.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

This interview was originally published by Home Health Care News Media, prepared by Mick Stahlberg. The original article can be found here. 

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