The Georgia-based PruittHealth has had a year of many challenges, ranging from the fallout of several hurricanes to ongoing staffing issues. Yet, it has been able to position itself for continued growth and transformation as it heads into 2025, according to CEO Neil L. Pruitt, Jr.

From deepening its footprint across several states in the South to adding new service lines, the company is forging ahead with exciting plans amid industry hurdles as it looks to gain from new workforce initiatives and navigating the complexities of Medicare Advantage plans and dealing with survey delays.

Along with his plans for PruittHealth’s growth, Pruitt shared metrics on staffing, how his company is reducing costs and conducting recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene.

“There will always be a pandemic, there will always be a storm, there will always be a new government program that we have to react to,” he said during a recent conversation with Skilled Nursing News.

Pruitt, who has been the chairman and CEO of PruittHealth since 2002, sat down with Skilled Nursing News to discuss how he has been able to lead his organization to expand and diversify, while strengthening his company’s financial structure and improving quality of care.

In 2024, PruittHealth added two nursing centers in Georgia as well as two assisted living facilities. It also embarked on a $385 million project in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“We’re excited about the future and our role in the sector,” he said. “We also are excited that we are going to have over 117 million in new construction, with locations in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and in Georgia.”

PruittHealth is also expanding its health care offerings with new projects such as a $50 million reinvestment project to upgrade the physical infrastructure of its existing centers.

The company’s flagship project in Raleigh will integrate skilled nursing services with upscale amenities, creating a model of care that blends health care expertise with hospitality. And in this regard, the company is onboard to reach its goal of having 30% of its skilled nursing facilities be equipped with private rooms by 2025, he said.

Despite its successes, staffing remains PruittHealth’s biggest ongoing challenge. With more than 200 open positions, the company has committed considerable resources to recruitment. PruittHealth has a dedicated team of 45 professionals focused solely on talent acquisition, working to attract people to the company’s family-oriented culture.

One key success for labor in 2024 for PruittHealth was a significant reduction in the company’s 90-day turnover rate, which dropped from 30% to 15%. This improvement reflects a focus on retention, including the introduction of a career ladder program for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and higher engagement with frontline caregivers.

A family-owned organization for more than 55 years, PruittHealth provides an expansive network of post-acute health care and senior services, offering skilled nursing, senior living, home health, hospice and palliative care, veteran care, therapy, pharmacy, and infusion services.

Its 15,000 employee partners serve approximately 26,000 patients daily in more than 180 locations in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, of which 100 are SNFs.

Pruitt has also served as board chair for the American Health Care Association (AHCA), where one of his achievements was developing initiatives with CMS to cut antipsychotic use in nursing homes by about 50%.

Response to Medicare Advantage’s growth

The rise of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans continues to pose problems for the nursing home sector at large. However, PruittHealth has responded proactively by launching PruittHealth Premier. This plan allows the company to take on risk and manage its patient populations more effectively, with the goal of reducing hospital readmissions and enhancing the overall patient experience.

“We’re aiming to get 70% of our eligible populations enrolled in our PruittHealth plan. We’re in the mid-60s right now, but we can achieve that goal,” said Pruitt.

While the transition from traditional Medicare to Medicare Advantage has brought operational challenges, including increased paperwork and administrative complexity, PruittHealth has partnered with consultants to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline its processes.

This partnership is aimed at reducing the bureaucratic burden associated with MA plans, improving documentation, and enhancing the company’s ability to navigate the complex appeals and denials process.

“We have partnered [to use] AI to fuel our efforts, and we are very excited about the possibilities of making sure that we have the documentation on the front end that is needed and to justify the clinical need, but that we are also providing documentation on the back end,” he said. “And the biggest benefit, while it is important to decrease our administrative costs, is [that] we can reduce the admission turnaround time.”

To listen to the complete episode, click below:

Subscribe to RETHINK via Apple Podcasts, or SoundCloud.