‘Speed is Everything.’— For This Multi-State Agency, Augusta Means Quality and Quantity

‘Speed is Everything.’ For This Multi-State Agency, Augusta Means Quality and Quantity

In the first half of 2025, Private Home Care, which provides services in Kansas, Missouri and Illinois, experienced a welcome yet unexpected surge in home care clients. To get ahead of growing demand, the PHC team knew they needed to buckle down and find a process that would get quality caregivers in the door fast.

“Speed is everything,” Katie Hagen, the agency’s director of people and culture, says. “When you’re the first to set up an interview with an applicant who’s sifting through hundreds of advertisements, they will remember you.”

A Relationship-Based Approach

Private Home Care has been providing personalized support to clients across Greater St. Louis, Greater Chicago, Southern Illinois and Greater Kansas City areas since 2014. Their 500+ caregivers meet people wherever they call home—whether that’s in a private residence, assisted living, or skilled nursing setting—for around 290+ families.

Guided by values that center care for clients and caregivers alike, the agency prioritizes team development and leading with innovation. At the heart of it all are best-in-class caregivers who earn 25% more than the industry average for their exemplary skills, warm personalities and genuine nature. That’s why the PHC team came to Augusta—to ensure recruiting processes are aligned with sustainable long-term growth and consistently high-quality care. They’re not in it for short-term gains.

Too Stretched to Succeed

Before partnering with Augusta, “everything was scattered,” says Katie, who joined the Private Home Care team in 2022. “We had no official ATS (Applicant Tracking System) and we were using multiple spreadsheets to keep on top of everything, which was very monotonous and time consuming.”

After months of trying to manage hundreds (and hundreds) of applicants across our four locations, something had to give. Many applicants weren’t fully qualified, responsive, or serious about the position, Katie says. She often had to sift through a lot of mismatched candidates and spend time on those who didn’t fully meet her criteria.

These delays meant that the best caregivers were snapped up by her competitors before she could call them. “We were having difficulties getting caregivers in for their interviews quick enough, and when we did have them booked, fewer than half would show up,” she says.

Finding Clarity amid the Chaos

Looking to streamline her hiring process through technology, the PHC team tested a number of platforms that couldn’t keep up with her needs before deciding on Augusta. “With smooth implementation and guided instruction on set up and use, we knew Augusta was the right choice,” Katie says.

By adopting Augusta’s user-friendly, AI-driven platform, which matches home care agencies with qualified caregivers, the PHC team was able to meet her staffing needs without increasing their workload.

“Augusta has been an incredible time saver,” Katie says. “Our recruiters have time to take on full cycle recruitment responsibilities rather than focusing all their attention on sourcing. They really are able to dig deep, getting to know applicants and finding the perfect fit for us.”

The PHC team worked with Sam Sanchez, Augusta’s head of customer success, to set up an intuitive applicant tracking system based on Private Home Care’s unique data set. “The [Augusta] team has been incredibly accommodating to requests and have even made changes to the platform to better serve us,” she says.

“Right now, most applicants are scheduled instantly after applying. These interviews are taking place no more than four days after they apply and are typically invited to orientation that same week.”

Stronger Hires, Exceptional Care

By growing its caregiver applicant pool and strengthening the quality of caregivers hired, three months into its partnership with Augusta, Private Home Care has already increased its scope to care for an aging population. “They’re ready to work, and they’re aligned with what we’re looking for in terms of professionalism and commitment,” she says of the most recent wave of hires.

The agency doesn’t formally track its hiring rates, but estimates are that the number of potential caregivers who show up for interviews is up from around 50% to 65–70%. The candidates who do show up are more qualified, engaged and prepared, which has allowed us to make more confident hires,” Katie says, and she’s optimistic that this number will continue to improve with fine tuning.

“The biggest improvement is the quality of applicants. Augusta has allowed us to focus on only those who are qualified and give them our time over those who we may be on the fence about.”

There have been unexpected benefits, too. “[Augusta] has reduced my stress and freed up time by cutting out repetitive tasks. I can now focus more on strategy, culture and caregiver support instead of being buried in admin work and tracking spreadsheets.” She’s had more time to check in with new hires, and they have implemented a new, streamlined referral/rewards system for her team.

Hire Talent That Sticks

You’re 22x more likely to hire people who are qualified with Augusta. If you’re ready to turn your agency into a beacon for high-quality caregivers, schedule a consultation, contact us at hello@augusta.care or 844-202-1133.

For more information on Private Home Care’s services, please visit privatehomecare.com.