Spring 2026
VNS Health Clinicians Are Now Using Ambient AI During Home Visits
A number of VNS Health’s Home Care clinicians are now using “ambient listening” during in-home visits. This AI-powered technology captures clinically relevant information about the visit, leaving the clinician free to focus on the patient. The result: enriched interactions that improve patient experience and, ultimately, outcomes.
VNS Health Clinicians Are Now Using Ambient AI During Home Visits
VNS Health has begun rolling out an AI-powered clinical documentation platform to its Home Care clinicians for use during patient visits. The organization is the first home care agency in the New York City area to use an ambient AI tool during in-home visits—reflecting VNS Health’s ongoing commitment to advancing care delivery and providing an enhanced patient and clinician experience.
Why it matters: By reducing time spent on documentation, the AI platform allows VNS Health clinicians to stay fully focused during their visit—leading to a better patient experience. This enhanced patient focus, combined with the evidence-based “4Ms” Age-Friendly Care framework that the organization implemented last year, enables VNS Health clinicians to build trust, explore patient concerns, and educate patients on their plan of care—resulting in a patient-centered approach that’s been linked to improved outcomes.
How it works: VNS Health is partnering with Nestmed, an ambient AI platform created specifically for use in home care and hospice settings. At the start of each home visit, the clinician taps the Nestmed app on their tablet screen, and the app then uses ambient listening to capture clinically relevant information from the visit. At the end of the visit, the platform automatically generates structured clinical documentation. Clinicians then review, edit as needed, and seamlessly upload notes into the patient’s electronic medical record—significantly reducing administrative burden.
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VNS Health’s Dr. Sonali Wilborn on Lowering Barriers to Hospice Care
Whenever someone is referred to VNS Health Hospice Care, says Dr. Sonali Wilborn, “I’m a passionate advocate for getting a nurse to the patient’s bedside as soon as possible.”
VNS Health’s Dr. Sonali Wilborn on Lowering Barriers to Hospice Care
Dr. Sonali Wilborn, VNS Health’s new Vice President, Hospice Services, and Hospice Chief Medical Officer, is Board Certified in Hospice & Palliative Medicine and Hospice Medical Director Certified. Here, she shares several benefits of referring patients to VNS Health Hospice Care.
When a patient is referred to VNS Health for hospice care, our team moves quickly. “When a patient and a family are told their loved one needs hospice, it’s a major crisis for them. Life as they knew it is never going to be the same. At VNS Health, we know it’s imperative that we respond with that same sense of urgency. That’s why, when that referral to our hospice is made, I’m a passionate advocate for getting a nurse to the patient’s bedside as soon as possible and getting them access to care.”
Our clinical expertise is second to none. “Unlike other hospices, whose physicians tend to be per diem, our physicians are full-time employees, and most are Hospice & Palliative Medicine Board Certified as well. In addition, our hospice team members—nurses, physicians, social workers, grief counselors—reflect pretty much every community of New York City. This means we are able to provide the best possible care to patients and families of all backgrounds.”
VNS Health is committed to removing barriers to hospice care. “At VNS Health, we recognize the critical importance of meeting patients where they are in their end-of-life journey and walking alongside them with compassionate, comprehensive support, rather than allowing systemic and perceptual barriers to limit access to care.”
We work with physicians, patients and families to facilitate hospice access. “If a patient doesn’t have a caregiver at home, we’ll look for creative ways to provide support so they can receive hospice services. If the patient isn’t ready to stop a certain medication, we will work with them to determine when it makes sense to go off that medication rather than allow it to become a barrier to admission. We also work with physicians on hospice eligibility so they can identify hospice-eligible patients and connect them with the benefits of hospice sooner—including effective symptom management and improved quality of life.”
To learn more about VNS Health hospice care services,
click here.
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VNS Health Enhances Its Heart Failure Care
VNS Health Enhances Its Heart Failure Care
In early March, VNS Health Home Care was awarded Home Health Heart Failure certification by the American Heart Association (AHA). The organization earned this certification by meeting the AHA’s evidence-based standards for heart failure care.
Why it matters: Heart failure continues to be the leading cause of hospitalization among older adults, and its prevalence is on the rise—which means the need for effective in-home management of heart failure patients is greater than ever. VNS Health’s AHA certification, coupled with its recent Age-Friendly Care certification by Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP), underscores the organization’s commitment to delivering high-quality, person-centered care to heart failure patients in a home setting.
Zoom in: VNS Health’s heart failure training focuses on symptom monitoring and early intervention, medication adherence, dietary and lifestyle modification, and self-management education—all with the goal of successfully managing care and avoiding hospitalizations, which is especially important for those heart failure patients with complex care needs.
Visiting Physician Dr. Maria Lee on Why She Refers Her Chinese American Patients to VNS Health
Visiting Physician Dr. Maria Lee on Why She Refers Her Chinese American Patients to VNS Health
Dr. Maria Lee is President of Living-at-Home Medical, a medical practice that serves New York City’s Chinese American community, providing home visits by doctors and NPs. Living-at-Home Medical is also an in-network provider to VNS Health’s health plan members as well as a member of CAIPA (Coalition of Asian-American IPA). When Dr. Lee refers a patient for home care or hospice care, VNS Health is often one of the choices she recommends. In her own words, here’s why:
1. VNS Health has a large number of skilled Chinese-speaking home care clinicians. “Many of my patients speak only Chinese, and they tend to prefer receiving care from someone who speaks their language and is familiar with Chinese cultural nuances. VNS Health Home Care has more Chinese-speaking nurses in Manhattan’s Chinatown community than any other home care organization. Our patients speak very highly of the home care services they receive from VNS Health.”
“VNS Health Home Care has more Chinese-speaking nurses in Manhattan’s Chinatown community than any other home care organization,” says Dr. Lee.
2. They make referrals easy. “Another reason we refer Living-at-Home patients to VNS Health Home Care is its user-friendly referral system. I use their software interface to make referrals online. The process is quick and easy, and I get sent secure messages with updates on the referral’s progress. In addition, VNS Health’s Provider portal makes it very easy to e-sign start-of-care and interim orders for both home care and hospice services.”
3. VNS Health provides culturally sensitive hospice care. “I’m a strong advocate for hospice care, which is an underserved area in the Chinese community. VNS Health has a number of Chinese-speaking hospice nurses available, especially in Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood. My own father was enrolled in VNS Health Hospice, so I have personal experience of the excellent, culturally attuned care they provide.”
Serving Asian American Communities Across New York
Serving Asian American Communities Across New York
VNS Health has a long history of providing culturally sensitive care to Asian American neighborhoods, including:
Local Community Centers in Manhattan’s Chinatown, Sunset Park, Brooklyn and Flushing, Queens.
A Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NNORC) team that partners with local community organizations to support Chinatown older adults.
Hundreds of Asian American clinicians, home health aides and health plan representatives who live and work in New York’s Asian neighborhoods, including Staten Island’s growing Chinese American community.
For more on VNS Health’s Community Centers, visit
www.vnshealth.org/in-the-community/outreach-programs/community-centers/
VNS Health MLTC Expands into Additional New York Counties
VNS Health MLTC Expands into Additional New York Counties
As part of New York State’s initiative to streamline its Medicaid Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) health plan offerings, VNS Health has joined forces with iCircle, an MLTC plan spanning 30 upstate New York counties.
Why it matters: For referral partners, this means broader access to a trusted MLTC provider and greater continuity for patients who may move or require services across New York State.
Zoom in: On April 1st, approximately 4,400 former iCircle MLTC members transitioned to become members of VNS Health’s MLTC plan as a result of this agreement. To ensure a seamless experience, many of iCircle’s care managers, nurses, and administrative staff have joined VNS Health and its care management partners—helping maintain established relationships and continuity of care.
Big picture: With VNS Health’s MLTC plan now operating in all but seven of New York’s 62 counties, the groundwork has been laid for the targeted expansion of the organization’s three Medicare plans—EasyCare, EasyCare Plus, and VNS Health Total, a Medicaid Advantage Plus (MAP) plan for dual-eligibles that combines Medicare and Medicaid coverage—into additional New York counties.
For more information about health plans from VNS Health,
click here.
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NYC Grant Brings Additional Support to Gender Affirmation Patients
VNS Health’s Gender Affirmation Program (GAP) provides essential nursing and social support services for adults aged 18+ recovering from gender-affirmation surgery.
NYC Grant Brings Additional Support to Gender Affirmation Patients
VNS Health’s Gender Affirmation Program (GAP), which provides in-home nursing and social support services for adults aged 18+ recovering from gender-affirmation surgery, has been awarded a $92,000 grant from New York City’s TGNCNB (transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary) Empowerment Fund.
Why it matters: People undergoing gender-affirmation surgery often lack an extended support system of family and friends, and many have limited financial resources as well. This additional funding will enable GAP team members to further ensure the safety and stability of their patients during the critical post-surgery recovery period.
Zoom in: The grant will help the GAP team provide patients with financial assistance for essential needs that impact healing, such as food, transportation to follow-up appointments, uninsured medical supplies, and basic living expenses like rent, utilities, phone bills and housekeeping.
The TGNCNB fund is an initiative led by the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in partnership with CitizensNYC and the NYC Unity Project. Over the past 10 years, the VNS Health GAP team has provided gender-affirming care to more than 3,500 patients.
For more information about VNS Health’s Gender Affirmation Program,
please click here.
To make a referral to VNS Health, please call: 1-866-632-2557 or click here.
To read the Fall 2025 issue of VNS Health TODAY online, click here.
To read the Winter 2026 issue of VNS Health TODAY online, click here.
To learn more about VNS Health, please visit
vnshealth.org or call 1-800-675-0391
vnshealth.org or call 1-800-675-0391
