Andwell Health Partners provides home-based health services across Maine. With a growing organization and a team deeply committed to compliance, they knew their existing tools were holding them back. Manual tracking, outdated systems, and siloed documentation made it difficult to keep up with regulatory expectations, let alone advance quality initiatives.
When leadership sought a smarter, more modern solution, they turned to QAPIplus.
The Challenge
Compliance and quality were managed using spreadsheets, internal files, and a basic reporting tool that was not designed for clinical care. Documentation was scattered and reporting was reactive.
“It was manual, with many Excel spreadsheets,” said Dottie Carroll, Director of Compliance and Quality. “The system we had wasn’t medical focused. It didn’t give us robust reports. It wasn’t interactive… it was more industrial than medical.”
Information often sat on individual desktops, inaccessible to the broader team.
“If I have it stored on my computer and it’s not shared, then people can’t access it,” Carroll explained.
Even though they met requirements, the process lacked visibility, efficiency, and ease of use for staff.
The Solution
Andwell implemented QAPIplus to bring their quality and compliance programs into a centralized, digital environment. The goal was to simplify workflows, improve access to information, and give teams a clearer view of incidents, audits, and performance trends.
“We wanted something that would combine quality and compliance… One stop shopping,” Carroll said.”
The onboarding process was smooth, and the platform began delivering results quickly. There were no concerns about training, support, or integration. Andwell immediately saw more engagement from users and a measurable increase in efficiency.
Increased Incident Reporting
Before QAPIplus, incident reporting was cumbersome. The process to submit reports was cumbersome, not user friendly, and often lacked structure.
With QAPIplus, that changed.
“The volume of incident reports has markedly increased ,” Carroll said. “Itis much easier to use. There are drop-downs and questions that prompt additional information.”
This ease of use encouraged more consistent reporting and revealed patterns that had previously been overlooked. Staff across the organization became more aware of the types of incidents occurring.
“It has led us to do more root cause analysis,” she added.
Real-Time Data and Faster Insight
Access to live data has been one of the biggest benefits for Andwell. Rather than working with delayed or outdated reports, the team now works from real-time dashboards.
“We see more refined data. We’re seeing more just-in-time data,” Carroll said. “We’re not waiting for someone to do fall reviews on a monthly basis. We’re seeing real-time data for incident reports and audits”
This shift has allowed Andwell to track trends as they emerge and respond faster. It has also improved how they communicate performance to boards and partners.
“I pull the data and report it to service line leaders and board members.”
Major Time Savings
Prior to QAPIplus, fall reviews took up an entire day of nursing time each month. That task has been almost entirely eliminated.
“The incident report pulls the majority of the information needed for fall data and trending review. Prior to QAPIplus, it would probably take her a whole day to do a month worth of reviews,” Carroll said.
Infection prevention also became easier. With structured reporting and centralized data, infection control staff can access what they need without chasing paper trails.
“She sees data in real time which has saved a lot of time reviewing the cases and pulling date manually. ”
Even when follow-up is needed, QAPIplus flags what’s missing and helps simplify resolution.
Better Team Awareness and Accountability
Before QAPIplus, incidents and audits were often handled in isolation. Now, managers and team members can see what is happening across all service lines. This improved visibility has led to better communication and faster responses.
“People are more aware of the types of incidents we have,” Carroll said. “It’s no longer just one manager knowing what happened on her team.”
This broader awareness has helped break down silos and promote shared responsibility across the organization.
Improved Survey Readiness
Andwell recently hosted a CMS survey and expects an ACHC visit later this year. While they are still building out some modules, QAPIplus has already helped them prepare and respond more confidently.
“We told the surveyor we had this program and they were thrilled,” said Carroll. “Hopefully by then we’ll be able to use the surveyor mode to show our data.”
With surveyor logins and live documentation access built into the platform, Andwell is now positioned for continuous readiness.
Final Word from Dottie
Carroll encourages other agencies still relying on spreadsheets or paper-based tools to make the switch.
“It’s a time saver. It’s the real-time information. It’s constantly updated, your reports are ready for you,” she said. “For efficiency and the quality of the data, it’s a no-brainer.”
