Seema Verma, former administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is a self-described healthcare policy geek. And she is crazy about all the technological solutions that are coming down the pike.

Technology can affect staffing, scheduling, interoperability and medical records, she said. And, of course, technology can be a game-changer when it comes to proving value with insurance payers.

“I think the winners are going to be those that are going to harness all this data,” she said during a keynote address at the Home Care Innovation and Investment Conference in Chicago this week.

I submit to you another reason to be bullish about technology. That is the McKnight’s Technology Awards, an annual event that celebrates the best of the best in innovation throughout the long-term care continuum. Following are the 2022 categories worthy of Gold, Silver and Bronze in each of three divisions: Home Care, Skilled Nursing and Senior Living.

Quality – Winning entries will describe the technology involved and how it was applied to improve the quality of care or services. Submissions should address the overall impact, along with as specific, quantifiable results as possible.

Innovator of the Year – Winning entries will describe how technological innovation was key to an entry’s success and how it made a difference to the provision of care and/or services and/or the bottom line. Submissions should address the overall impact, along with as specific, quantifiable results as possible.

KISS (Keep It Super Simple) – Winning entries will describe a simple but effective application of technology that improved the provision of care and/or services and/or operations. Submissions should address the overall impact, along with as specific, quantifiable results as possible.

Building Bridges – Winning entries will describe the ways in which an operator is using technology to improve connections between staff members, other care providers, or patients/residents and/or their families. Submissions should address the methodology and overall impact, along with as many specific, quantifiable results as possible.

The deadline to submit nominations for this year’s awards is next Thursday, June 30. Don’t let the opportunity pass.

Liza Berger is editor of McKnight’s Home Care. Email her at [email protected].