The following is a guest article by Stephen Vaccaro, President at HHAeXchange
While headlines often spotlight home care workforce challenges — such as labor shortages, regulatory obstacles, and persistent burnout — these issues, though real, can overshadow caregivers’ significant progress. Focusing too heavily on the industry’s struggles can create the impression that advancements are few and far between, which is not the case. Today’s resilient caregivers are becoming more tech-savvy and data-driven, playing a crucial role in accelerating the industry’s shift toward value-based care (VBC).
Contrary to old assumptions that caregivers view digital advancement as a barrier to their work, recent data suggests they believe it’s key to better outcomes. Caregivers understand that the information they capture, from changes in diet to shifts in mobility, is just as important as the physical and emotional support they provide. According to HHAeXchange’s 2025 Homecare Insights: Caregiver Voices Survey, the workforce is largely fueled by an unwavering purpose. Caregivers’ commitment to their clients is reshaping the industry’s approach to documentation, transforming it from a routine administrative task into an act of compassion that strengthens VBC.
Debunking the Tech-Averse Myth: Caregivers See Data Entry as a Compassionate Act
For years, fear of overwhelming the workforce delayed the adoption of advanced home care platforms and management tools. Agency leaders worried that complex apps might alienate caregivers who were working to provide human connection, not track data. However, the landscape has shifted. This year’s survey found that 65.3% of caregivers now rank outdated or hard-to-use technology as the least challenging part of their job. This is a significant increase from previous years, signaling that the workforce is embracing digital tools.
Intuitive technology that fades into the background allows caregivers to focus on what matters. Nearly half of the respondents (49.3%) reported that technology helps most with scheduling and shift management, while 31.5% cited improved communication with clients and care teams. By removing friction from logistical tasks, technology clears the way for the human element of care.
While calendar coordination and ease of use were prevalent survey themes, the most profound finding was about motivation. Nearly 70% of caregivers said they’re willing to spend an extra three to five minutes recording client observations if it improves care outcomes. These metrics challenge the idea that documentation is simply a compliance requirement and suggest that provider teams view data sharing as an extension of their empathy.
Caregivers who take the time to note that a client isn’t eating regularly or has experienced a condition change aren’t just checking boxes. They’re advocating for their clients’ well-being. As one caregiver noted in their survey response, “I can see other people’s lives from a different perspective … helping others gives me a sense of peace, like I’m doing something that actually matters.”
Capturing granular details at the point of care provides a full picture to other care team members, including nurses, agencies, and families. Transparency across the continuum of care allows for proactive interventions that can prevent emergency room visits and hospital readmissions, helping the 61.7% of caregivers who are most driven by making a positive impact on their clients’ health.
Beyond Improving Client Health and Relationships, Caregiver Insights Fuel VBC
This shift in caregiver sentiment comes at a crucial time for the healthcare industry. Payers and providers are moving away from fee-for-service models and toward VBC, which prioritizes outcomes over the volume of services delivered. The success of VBC models requires agencies to maintain continuous visibility into patient health. Clinical visits are often sporadic, but home care sessions tend to be more frequent and consistent, making caregivers the eyes and ears of the healthcare ecosystem.
Real-time data captured during in-home visits offers critical context that clinical data often misses. Caregivers interact with clients and observe their daily activities, noting things like:
- Medication Adherence: Are pills being taken on time?
- Social Determinants of Health: Is there nutritious food in the home? Is the environment safe?
- Physical Changes: Is the client having trouble standing or walking?
- Emotional and Behavioral Changes: Is pain causing irritability? Could drug interactions be causing mood swings?
When information is collected consistently and logged into an interoperable platform, agencies can spot trends before they become crises. For example, documenting a slight decline in mobility might trigger a physical therapy referral, preventing a fall. Reporting a loss of appetite could lead to a nutritional intervention, minimizing the chances of dehydration. The data gathered by caregivers is essentially a transformational tool, demonstrating how high-quality care improves outcomes and lowers costs—while helping providers meet value-based care goals.
The divide between “high tech” and “high touch” is closing. The home care workforce has sent a clear message that they believe in better care through better data. Providing the tools that make this possible should be a high priority for agencies that follow value-based care models. Ensuring user-friendly, purposeful documentation tools are available to caregivers strengthens operations and honors the workforce’s deep compassion and desire to deliver the best care possible.
About Stephen Vaccaro
Stephen Vaccaro serves as President at HHAeXchange, the leading provider of home care management solutions for providers, managed care organizations, and state Medicaid agencies, where he leads the market strategy and national expansion of HHAeXchange’s State, Payer, Provider, and Self-Direction purpose-built technology solutions. With more than 30 years of leadership experience in the healthcare technology space, Stephen understands the business needs of all stakeholders in the home care ecosystem. He has a proven track record of success in executive leadership, sales, implementation, service delivery, strategic planning, project management, product development, and acquisition integration.
