Tom sits down with Tracy Dent, Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations at AccentCare and the first nurse to join Last Visit First. Tracy’s story runs from LVN in rural Texas to leading national teams. She opens up about the patient who “gave her the bug,” what rate cuts really mean for access in rural America, why leaders retain people better than bosses, and how AI, telehealth, and practical quality work can free clinicians to spend more time with patients. You will hear a clear case for home as the lowest-cost, highest-outcome setting and what it takes to get there.

Keywords:

• home health, hospice care, care at home, AccentCare, nursing leadership, clinical operations, workforce retention, healthcare leadership, value-based care, AI in home health, telehealth, quality outcomes, rural access to care, healthcare policy, hospital at home, palliative care, home-based care, Last Visit First podcast, Tom Maxwell, Tracy Dent.

People of the Episode:

• Guest: Tracy Dent, Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations
• Host: Tom Maxwell
• Producer: Cole Sorensen

Be Sure to Check Out Our Sponsors:

• Premier Sponsor: Homecare Homebase: https://hchb.com/
• Maxwell TEC: https://maxwelltec.com/
• StenoHealth: https://www.stenohealth.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?si=fc219a6e1a504861⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠www.youtube.com/@lastvisitfirstpodcast⁠
• Website: ⁠⁠https://www.lastvisitfirst.com⁠ ⁠
• LinkedIn:⁠ ⁠linkedin.com/company/last-visit-first⁠

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Gene Metcalfe book - Left for Dead at Nijmegen: The True Story of an American Paratrooper in World War II: https://www.amazon.com/Left-Dead-Nijmegen-American-Paratrooper/dp/1612006965
• AccentCare: https://www.accentcare.com/

Contact the Last Visit First Team:

• Producer: [email protected]
• Host: [email protected]

Chapters:

• 00:00 – HCHB Premier Sponsor Ad Read

• 00:48 – Welcome and intro

• 01:30 – How Tom and Tracy first met

• 02:48 – Tracy’s start in nursing and home health

• 06:05 – Joining AccentCare

• 08:45 – Rate cuts and rural impact

• 12:21 – The patient who inspired her

• 16:07 – WWII veteran story and book mention

• 18:36 – Building strong teams and leaders

• 22:29 – AI and the clinician’s role

• 25:38 – Telehealth and access to care

• 28:03 – Driving quality at the bedside

• 31:29 – Rural length-of-stay challenges

• 32:38 – The future of care at home

• 35:02 – Transitions and hospice coordination

• 38:28 – ESRD and hospice eligibility

• 39:57 – Behavioral health and homebound rules

• 43:28 – Waivers, policy, and workforce outlook

• 46:58 – Tracy’s legacy

• 49:27 – Staying connected to the field

• 50:00 – Closing

• 50:54 – Sponsor Ad Reads