Leading change in home health isn’t just about new tools or workflows—it’s about reshaping how care happens, day in and day out. When leaders combine empathy, meaningful metrics, and transparency, they unlock something powerful: a home health agency that works not just on paper, but in the lives and routines of patients and caregivers.
Empathy ensures that policies, processes, and expectations are grounded in what real people experience—what slows them down, what frustrations linger, what small shifts make big differences.
Metrics give visibility—what’s working, what’s slipping, which patients are at risk, which caregivers feel overwhelmed. Transparency ties it all together: when people understand the “why” behind the numbers, they move from being passive executors to active partners.
In the high-stakes world of home health—where timelines, safety, and quality aren’t optional—this triad (empathy, metrics, transparency) becomes a strategic imperative. It’s what helps agencies deliver safer, more responsive, sustainable care while keeping staff engaged, morale high, and patients truly well-served.
To shed some light on the same, we interviewed a home care industry expert to bring her perspective on leading change in home health with empathy, metrics & transparency.
Sherry Kesler leads Home Health and Infusion operations across 12 locations in Virginia and North Carolina for Sentara Health. With a background in ICU nursing, critical care transport, clinical leadership, and sales, she brings a unique perspective that blends operational rigor, clinical excellence, and innovation.
She is passionate about building strong teams, aligning staff around clear goals, and improving patient outcomes through collaboration and accountability.
Let us now delve into what she has to say about the significance of leading change in home health with empathy, metrics & transparency:
Each role has shaped how I lead today. ICU taught me the importance of precision, urgency, and accountability. Sales taught me how to listen, build trust, and deliver results. Leadership has taught me how to align people, processes, and culture.
Put together, it has shaped my vision to run home health at scale by balancing clinical quality, operational efficiency, and financial sustainability — always keeping patients and staff at the center.
I start with the end-user — our clinicians and patients — and work backward. That means listening to staff about what’s slowing them down, testing changes in real time, and making adjustments quickly.
Design-thinking isn’t a one-time event, it’s a way to keep improving processes so they actually work in the field and support safe, timely patient care.
Transparency and connection. I don’t just show numbers; I explain what they mean for staff, patients, and our ability to stay viable. For example, I link productivity and documentation accuracy to outcomes, compliance, and revenue. When clinicians see the “why” — not just the metric — they’re more engaged in making changes. It’s about building a culture where everyone understands that clinical quality and financial health go hand in hand.
Readmission rates, patient satisfaction, staff retention, timeliness of SOC and visits, and compliance with regulatory standards. These are the measures that tell you if patients are getting the right care at the right time, if staff feel supported, and if you’re positioned for long-term success. Finance shows the score, but these metrics show the health of the organization.
Have the courage to change, but ground it in reality. Listen to your staff and patients, be willing to test new approaches, and use cultural attributes to guide the work.
Don’t chase change for the sake of change. Focus on what truly improves patient care, staff experience, and financial stability. That’s how you move the needle in a meaningful way.
Change in home health isn’t a nice extra — it’s the foundation that allows care, staff, and outcomes to flourish together. As Sherry Kesler illustrates, when leaders ground strategy in what patients and clinicians actually need, use data to illuminate what matters most, and communicate “why” as clearly as “what,” the whole organization shifts.
The result is safer care, fewer avoidable delays, engaged teams, and financial health that doesn’t come at the expense of people. It takes courage—to challenge assumptions, to listen better, and to make metrics meaningful.
But it’s this kind of leadership that not only elevates performance but restores trust, sparks innovation, and ensures home health systems truly deliver on their promise—for everyone involved.
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