The Future Leaders Awards program is brought to you in partnership with Homecare Homebase. The program is designed to recognize up-and-coming industry members who will shape the next decade of home health, hospice care, senior housing, skilled nursing and behavioral health. To view this year’s Future Leaders, visit https://futureleaders.agingmedia.com/.
Courtney Brooks, director of home health care for St. Louis-based Lutheran Senior Services, has been named a 2024 Future Leader by Home Health Care News.
Future leaders must be nominated by their peers: Candidates must be high-performing employees under the age of 40, passionate workers who know how to put a vision into action, advocates for older adults and dedicated professionals who ensure the well-being of older adults.
Brooks spoke with Home Healthcare News about his career trajectory and how he sees the home health industry changing in the near future.
What first got you interested in this industry?
As a hospital and acute rehabilitation nurse, I have frequently seen patients readmitted to the hospital shortly after being discharged. This recurring issue prompted me to search for a more effective solution, which led me to explore the opportunity of home health care.
While I provided resources and education to my clients within the facility, I often found there was a disconnect between the information shared within the facility and its application at home. Transitioning to home care has allowed me to bridge this gap and provide individualized support and guidance within my clients’ environments.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned since starting in the industry?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is the importance of adaptability. Home health care is a dynamic field that is constantly evolving.
To succeed in this industry, you must embrace and actively drive change. Adaptability is essential to effectively address challenges related to patient care and ensure compliance with regulatory changes.
Looking ahead to the future of home health care, if you could change one thing, what would it be?
If there was one thing that could change the future of home health care, it would be finding innovative ways to leverage technology to reduce the burden on clinical staff. As regulations continue to tighten and reimbursement rates for care delivery decrease, it is imperative for agency leaders to find more efficient ways to comply with these regulations without placing additional strain on staff.
I also envision a future in which telehealth is more widely used and embraced in home health care, not as a replacement for in-person care, but as an augmentation of monitoring capabilities.
Looking ahead to 2025, what changes do you think we will see in the home health industry?
As a home health care leader looking to 2025, I foresee a major push to develop new revenue streams in response to ongoing reimbursement cuts and the growing presence of managed care plans in the marketplace.
Agencies will likely invest in innovative home care programs and leverage value-based care data with payers to secure better payment rates. Additionally, we believe we will see an increase in home health acquisitions and joint ventures in 2025 as a means to gain market share and expand revenue streams.
In one sentence, how would you describe the future of home health care?
Innovative.
If you could give some advice to your younger self on your first day in the industry, what would you tell them and why?
Get ready for a dynamic journey full of growth opportunities.
For more information about the Future Leaders program, please visit https://futureleaders.agingmedia.com/
