In this episode of Last Visit First, Tom Maxwell sits down with Luke Rutledge, President of Homecare Homebase (HCHB)—one of the most impactful technology platforms in post-acute care and the company where Tom once served as Chief Strategy Officer. What began as a friendship between mentor and mentee has evolved into a story of leadership, innovation, and purpose-driven growth.

Luke shares his journey from leading call centers at AT&T to being hired by Tom Maxwell in 2013 and climbing the ranks within HCHB to now lead the company as President. Together, they discuss how Homecare Homebase has grown from serving just 15 percent of the market to empowering more than 300,000 clinicians and processing $27 billion in annual claims across home health and hospice.

Keywords:

- Luke Rutledge, Tom Maxwell, Homecare Homebase, HCHB, care at home, home health, hospice, healthcare technology, leadership, innovation, clinician empowerment, AI in healthcare, post-acute care, purpose-driven leadership, patient outcomes.

People of the Episode:

-Guest: Luke Rutledge

-Host: Tom Maxwell

-Producer: Cole Sorensen

Sponsors of the Episode:

-PREMIER SPONSOR - Homecare Homebase: https://hchb.com/

-Maxwell TEC: https://maxwelltec.com/

-Steno Health: https://www.stenohealth.com/

-Levo: https://www.hellolevo.com/

Last Visit First Podcast Links:

-Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/last-visit-first/id1830051182

-Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3iSKGRvHC9Bk3iq7l8UPxs

-YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvBv-nOIuI4fAFqsejKwfgQ

-Website: https://www.lastvisitfirst.com

-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/last-visit-first

Make a Difference in Care At Home—Check Out the Alliance:

-National Alliance for Care at Home: https://allianceforcareathome.org/

Contact the Last Visit First Team:

-[email protected]

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Outline:

(00:00) – Premier Sponsor Ad: Homecare Homebase (HCHB)

(00:48) – Last Visit First Intro Video

(00:56) – Welcome and Guest Introduction

(01:22) – How Tom and Luke First Met and the 2013 Hiring Story

(03:37) – Luke’s Career Journey: Logistics, Finance, AT&T, and Joining HCHB

(04:42) – Climbing the Ladder: From Client Services to President

(05:36) – Growth of HCHB: From 15% to 47% Market Share

(07:03) – Industry Impact: 300,000 Clinicians, $27B in Claims

(07:37) – Personal Story: Luke’s Family and Connection to Home-Based Care

(10:38) – Leadership Philosophy: Staying Close to Customers and Employees

(12:28) – Company Culture and Mentorship at HCHB

(13:09) – The Role of AI and Innovation in Reducing Clinician Burden

(17:22) – Retaining and Empowering Clinicians in Home Health

(19:24) – Mid-Roll Sponsor Ad Reads

(21:29) – Policy Discussion: CMS, Outcomes, and Payer Partnerships

(23:57) – Growth of Medicare Advantage and Industry Trends

(26:19) – Unified Payment Models and Blended Care Settings

(31:34) – Advocacy and Data-Driven Storytelling for Home Health

(35:22) – Grassroots Action: The Alliance and Clinician Involvement

(36:52) – Legacy and Mentorship: Training the Next Generation

(38:07) – Tom Reflects on Luke’s Leadership Journey

(39:35) – Tom’s Closing Remarks and Thanks to Listeners

(39:59) – Last Visit First Outro Video / Credits