At August Health, we immerse ourselves in the rhythms of daily care alongside our customers to understand what’s truly happening on the ground. Often, that understanding starts with the data.
Recently, we analyzed anonymized data from two communities with similar resident populations — same average age, similar resident counts— but very different patterns in one key area: how often they updated resident assessments.
The results pointed to a clear takeaway: assessment frequency is more than a compliance checkbox — it’s a key lever for improving performance across care, operations, and financial performance.
What we found
What this tells us
At first glance, Community A’s lower acuity score might suggest its residents had fewer needs. But the higher incident rate and elevated PRN usage tell a different story.
With assessments happening once every about 8.5 months, it’s likely that care needs were being underdocumented — even as staff provided hands-on care and medication interventions. The complexity was there — it just wasn’t consistently reflected in the documentation.
In contrast, Community B’s more frequent assessments captured resident needs more accurately. This translated into:
- Better alignment between care plans and actual care delivered
- Proactive interventions and fewer incidents
- $700/month increase in care revenue per resident — or $8,400 annually
That difference in revenue wasn’t from delivering more care — it came from recognizing and documenting the care already being provided.
Why this matters
Assessment frequency may not always be top of mind when evaluating operational performance, but it’s a strong signal of how well a community is staying in sync with resident needs.
When communities fall behind on assessments, care plans fall out of step. Frontline teams are stretched thin, providing care that’s more intensive than what’s documented — causing unnecessary strain, unclear staffing expectations, and higher risk of turnover.
On the flip side, communities with consistent, up-to-date assessments tend to operate more proactively. They’re able to spot trends earlier, communicate needs more clearly, and keep care, staffing, and billing in sync — driving better outcomes for residents, staff, and the bottom line.
Turning insight into impact
This is just one example of the kinds of patterns we’re seeing emerge through the data. When operators can view assessments, incidents, PRN use, and acuity side by side — and in context — it becomes much easier to identify gaps, spot opportunities, and make meaningful improvements.
The goal isn’t more documentation for documentation’s sake. It’s ensuring that what’s already happening — the hard work of care delivery — is recognized, aligned, and supported at every level.
Assessment frequency is just one piece of that puzzle. But as this data shows, it’s one with real impact.
