From working front desk tasks in high school to leading as CEO, Beau Sorensen has built First Choice Home Health & Hospice into a powerhouse of culture and operational discipline.

In this episode, Beau joins Tom to discuss how he is navigating the industry's biggest headwinds—from Medicare Advantage rate pressures to the "ProPublica hangover." They dive deep into the future of technology, debating why today’s EMRs aren’t enough, the shift from "Ambient Listening" to "Ambient Watching," and how First Choice uses individual scorecards to gamify clinical outcomes.

Plus, Beau shares the unique challenges of scaling a Pediatric Home Health division and his "Leadership by Wandering Around" philosophy.

In this episode, we cover:

• The "Dream EMR": Why Beau would pay a premium for a single "pane of glass" platform.
• Ambient Intelligence: Moving beyond voice dictation to cameras that detect tremors and gait changes.
• Gamifying Quality: How individual clinician scorecards drastically improved patient outcomes.
• Centralization Strategy: Why First Choice centralizes functions, not just people.
• Pediatric Home Health: The business case for 24/7 care vs. intermittent visits.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction to Home Health and Hospice Leadership
• 01:06 Bo Sorensen's Journey in Home Health
• 04:47 Core Leadership Principles at First Choice
• 09:36 Embracing Technology and AI in Home Health
• 17:05 Addressing Challenges in Home Health Care
• 24:42 Vision for the Future of EMR and AI Integration
• 28:08 The Bi-Directional Relationship in EMRs
• 29:51 The Rise of Ambient Listening in Healthcare
• 32:37 The Future of Ambient Watching
• 34:53 Rapid Changes in Healthcare Technology
• 36:36 Improving Outcomes through Individual Scorecards
• 40:56 Preparing for Value-Based Care
• 42:44 Post-Discharge Patient Management
• 45:02 Expanding into Pediatric Care
• 49:48 Challenges in Hospice Care
• 58:28 Empowering Athletes with Disabilities
• 58:52 Challenges of Medicare Advantage
• 01:00:40 Negotiating with Payers
• 01:03:41 Quality of Care in Medicare Advantage
• 01:05:46 Holistic Healthcare Solutions
• 01:07:37 Legacy and Industry Advancement
• 01:09:43 Leadership and Trust
• 01:11:49 Influences and Mentorship
• 01:16:43 Grounding Practices for CEOs
• 01:19:39 Closing Thoughts and Future Engagements

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey
• Podcast: The Lawfare Podcast
• Mentalist: Oz Pearlman (Oz the Mentalist)
• Study: Specialization of Home Health Agencies to Deliver Care for Medicare Advantage Patients (JAMA Network Open, Dec 2025)

Special thank you to our sponsors:

• Premier Sponsor: Trella Health
• Premier Sponsor: Homecare Homebase
• Maxwell TEC
• StenoHealth

Check out Last Visit First on other platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Website
• LinkedIn

About Last Visit First:

In home health and hospice, the start of care usually begins with the final visit in mind—because every decision becomes a memory.

'Last Visit First' challenges the industry to prioritize quality, connection, outcomes, and dignity right from the start. Hosted by industry veteran Tom Maxwell, we sit down with the CEOs, innovators, and clinical leaders shaping the future of Care at Home. We bring you the conversations that drive change, from leadership strategies to the innovations redefining patient care.

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