2019 “Women of Distinction” Honoree Says Technology Will Drive Affordability in Senior Living

Throughout 2019, PointClickCare is serving as the proud exclusive Platinum Sponsor for McKnight’s first Women of Distinction program, which honors women in the senior living and post-acute care industries. McKnight’s recognized the significant contributions of 19 executive-level women by naming them to its inaugural Hall of Honor class, as well as one Lifetime Achievement honoree. It also acknowledged 21 women under the age of 40 as Rising Stars, for their exceptional commitment to senior housing or care at the corporate or community or level, or in their academic or association work.

With honorees from both the United States and Canada, we were excited to learn that so many of them represent our customer organizations! One of those, inducted into the Hall of Honor, is Stephanie Harris, Esq., CEO and Principal of Arrow Senior Living in St. Charles, MO. In her experience as a highly regarded consultant, sales trainer, and co-owner and operator of senior housing communities, Stephanie has seen first-hand the increasing economic challenges facing the industry and those it serves. Yet, she is also optimistic that during the coming decade technology will play an important role in addressing those challenges, and help to make senior care and living more affordable.   

Inefficiencies Will Not Be Sustainable

Stephanie notes that much of the industry has been built around the need to constantly increase rates to address inflationary costs. She cites higher salaries, the overall economy, the shortage of healthcare workers and the increasing acuity of residents and patients as major factors contributing to rising costs – and therefore the consistent struggle to cover margins. Stephanie warns that the industry will be unable to maintain this trend in the long term.

“We have to find new ways to become less reliant on a shrinking workforce, and use different methods that will lead to the more efficient delivery of medications and care. We just can’t continue to stack one problem on top of another,” she asserts.

Now is The Time to Embrace Technology

Stephanie believes that the growing role of technology in senior living and care will finally bring some measure of affordability into the mix.

“Technology is going to be key in helping us drive down our costs, increase lengths of stay, and lower our reliance on employees,” she contends. “I think we’re right on the cusp, at the leading edge of what technology is going to do for our industry during the next ten years. We’ll see the introduction of new systems that will affect efficiency in all segments of our business.”

PointClickCare is Committed to Doing Its Part  

Our participation in McKnight’s Women of Distinction program is only one example of the PointClickCare commitment to diversity. As a member of Argentum’s Women in Leadership initiative, we are working to help empower more women to advance to leadership positions in the senior living industry. We recognize that women make up the majority of the industry’s workforce, and we want their value in shaping both its present and future to finally be realized.

“Women play a vital role in helping us achieve our vision of furthering innovation and overcoming the challenges faced by providers and their partners in long-term and post-acute care,” says Cheryl Crooks, PointClickCare’s Senior Director of Market Development. “We will continue to find ways to encourage, promote, and celebrate the contributions of women throughout our industry and the global economy.”

Watch for More Women of Distinction

You can learn more about Stephanie in this McKnight’s article. And as part of our work with McKnight’s to highlight the amazing contributions that the inaugural honorees are making to the industry, we’ll be featuring other Women of Distinction honorees on our blog in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned!

PointClickCare is the Platinum Sponsor of the 2019 McKnight’s Women of Distinction program, which honors women in the senior living and post-acute care industries.