“A motto for CareHub could be: we can do hard things and CareHub can help.”
In June 2026, PACE Organization of Rhode Island (PACE-RI) marked one year on CareHub EMR. To celebrate, five members of PACE-RI’s leadership team sat down to reflect on their EMR transition, the day-to-day workflows, and their partnership with IntusCare.
At a glance
- Organization: PACE Organization of Rhode Island
- Founded: 20+ years ago
- Participants served: 500+
Why they switched
PACE care is uniquely complex. Participant needs shift day to day. Any EMR built to serve PACE must satisfy strict regulatory requirements and flex to that unpredictability. It also must give the interdisciplinary team (IDT) a single, shared view of every participant, so care can be delivered as a team rather than as a series of handoffs.
Those were the criteria PACE-RI’s leadership brought to their EMR search.
“You need a tool that can both account for the regulatory obligation, but flex to the participant’s unpredictability.”
— Joan Kwiatkowski, Chief Executive Officer
How CareHub is different
One year in, PACE-RI’s team describes CareHub as intuitive, unified, and built for the way an interdisciplinary care team actually works.
“With CareHub, it reads like a story. I can see every med change. I can see the labs. I can see what referrals were made. I can see how many times social work saw them.”
— Suzanne Ribeiro-Balassone, Chief Operating Officer
Assessments
Assessments are unified across disciplines. IDT huddles are documented directly in the chart. Tasks are captured in the moment so team members stay present in meetings.
“The tasking feature is amazing. Team members can just dedicate themselves to being present and talking.”
— Liz Boucher, Chief of Organizational Performance
Compliance
Compliance is built into every module so that programs can remain audit-ready by default.
“Every module is geared towards being compliant. Having an EMR that’s looking out for you to make sure you’re meeting regulation has been a great improvement.”
— Eric Franklin, VP of Support Services
Flexibility
Assessments and templates flex to how each PACE org actually operates.
“It’s unique that we’re able to either use the ones that were there and modify them, or create our own.”
— Melissa Simonian, VP of Clinical Services
Outcomes to date
Within just 120 days, PACE-RI staff described themselves as comfortable using the new system.
“For me, it was definitely an affirmation that we picked the right product.”
— Joan Kwiatkowski, Chief Executive Officer
Beyond adoption, PACE-RI leadership points to broader operational gains.
“A massive revamp of the way we operate. It’s helped us become more efficient. Our participants are experiencing better outcomes.”
— Suzanne Ribeiro-Balassone, Chief Operating Officer
The sentiment is echoed on the clinical side.
“[We’re in] such a better place than we were a year ago. I can’t imagine where we’re going to be in another year with the progress we’ve made.”
— Melissa Simonian, VP of Clinical Services
The partnership
PACE-RI’s team describes CareHub less as a tool and more as an extension of their staff.
“It almost feels like CareHub works on the same team. Like they’re almost employed by PACE. I’ve worked through many EMR transitions in the past, and this is probably the most thorough transition I’ve experienced.”
— Eric Franklin, VP of Support Services
The partnership is built on candor.
“We can have hard conversations about things that maybe we don’t agree on. There’s no price you pay for that conversation. That honesty is respected, and it’s appreciated.”
— Joan Kwiatkowski, Chief Executive Officer
Would you recommend CareHub?
When peers ask Joan whether they should choose CareHub, her answer is consistent.
“All of the PACE programs across the country have come to us. And we consistently said, ‘Do it.’ Wouldn’t you rather be at the table where you can actually create what that tool looks like and the impact it will have on your program, than just take whatever somebody has in a box? So always a thumbs up.”
— Joan Kwiatkowski, Chief Executive Officer
