Tier 3 · Embedded retainer
Compliance as a rhythm, not a project.
Monthly chart audit cadence, quarterly re-certification against the D.O.C.U.M.E.N.T framework, and a direct line to Irene for ADR responses and post-survey work. Designed for hospices that finished the Readiness Program and want to stay ahead of the next survey cycle without re-engaging from scratch.
condition-level deficiencies across Ongoing Partner clients in their last full survey cycle.
monthly audit touches per year, a steady rhythm your team plans around, not a scramble.
response time on ADR requests and post-survey letters. A phone call, not a ticket.
What happens every month, every quarter, every survey cycle.
Predictable rhythm. Your team knows what’s coming. Compliance becomes infrastructure, not a project.
Async office hours
A running Slack or email channel with Irene. Quick questions, documentation gut-checks, surveyor-pattern clarifications. Answered same or next business day.
Chart audit cadence
A rolling 20-chart audit against the D.O.C.U.M.E.N.T framework. Written findings report delivered the same month, with a 30-minute review call.
Framework re-certification
Deep review of the QAPI program, IDT cadence, and CTI narrative patterns. Confirms the installed system is still working as designed.
ADR & post-survey
ADR letters, condition-level deficiency responses, corrective action plans. Written by Irene, turnaround under 24 hours.
Everything a Partner client gets.
One monthly fee. No hourly billing, no surprise invoices, no “out of scope” letters.
Monthly 20-chart audit + report
Rolling sample designed to match your diagnosis mix. Written findings with severity, recommended fix, and Readiness-Program cross-reference where relevant.
Quarterly D.O.C.U.M.E.N.T re-certification
Full framework review: QAPI program health, IDT cadence audit, CTI narrative pattern check. Written re-certification report signed by Irene.
Async office hours
Running Slack or email channel. Documentation gut-checks, surveyor pattern questions, “should we worry about this?” moments. Same or next business day.
ADR & post-survey response
ADR letters, condition-level deficiency responses, and corrective action plans drafted by Irene. Turnaround under 24 hours. Included in the retainer with no hourly add.
Quarterly leadership review
90-minute call with your DON, administrator, and QAPI lead. Trends across the quarter, emerging surveyor patterns, strategic recommendations.
Annual pre-survey mock
A full mock survey once per year, scheduled before your next anticipated survey window. Same rigor as the Readiness Program’s closing mock, included in the retainer rather than billed as an add-on.
We finished the Readiness Program and it felt complete, and then we realized the actual work is staying there. The Partner retainer is why we haven’t drifted. Irene sees patterns a quarter earlier than we do.
How the Partner retainer differs from a standard hourly arrangement.
| Dimension | Traditional retainer | ILS CARE Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Hourly. Surprises on every invoice. | Flat $4,200/month. Zero hourly billing. |
| ADR response | Billable add-on. Often outside scope. | Same-day turnaround, included. |
| Who audits | A rotating junior associate. | Irene, every month, every audit. |
| Methodology | Generic compliance checklist. | The D.O.C.U.M.E.N.T framework, installed in your EHR rather than rented from us. |
| Exit | Auto-renewing; termination letters and notice periods. | Six-month minimum, then month-to-month. Leave whenever your team is ready. |
What teams ask before committing.
Do I need to do the Readiness Program first?
Almost always yes. The Partner retainer maintains a working system; it doesn’t build one. About 90% of Partner clients come out of the Readiness Program. The other 10% had a strong internal compliance function already and wanted the monthly rhythm and ADR coverage.
What if we need more than the monthly cadence in a given month?
The retainer covers unlimited ADR and post-survey work without hourly billing. For larger one-off needs like staff training waves, new-site onboarding, or M&A diligence, we scope those separately at the Readiness Program day-rate.
What happens if Irene is unavailable?
You work directly with Irene. If she’s booked on another engagement during your audit window, we reschedule that month’s audit within the same week. We do not hand off to an associate. Response-time promises on ADR remain in effect.
Can we pause the retainer?
After the six-month minimum, yes, month-to-month. Pausing for 90 days or less keeps your onboarding state; longer than that and we treat the restart as a new engagement with a refreshed quarterly re-certification.
Does this work for multi-site groups?
Yes, priced per site, with central governance options scoped to your group’s size. For example: 3 sites at $4,200/site/month with quarterly consolidated reporting is a common configuration. For 10+ sites, see Enterprise for the multi-site engagement model with a dedicated governance layer.
The other engagement tiers.
Ongoing Partner is the final tier. If you haven’t installed the system yet, start earlier.
Tier 1 · Entry
Chart Audit Sprint
Two-week audit, written triage report with top 15 findings. The diagnosis before the treatment. Sprint investment credits toward the Readiness Program.
From $3,800 · Two weeks →
Tier 2 · Flagship
Survey Readiness Program
Eight weeks. Chart audit, CTI rewrites, IDT cadence, QAPI design, staff coaching, installed templates. Where most Partner clients start before moving to the retainer.
$18,500 · Eight weeks →
Book a scoping call. See if the rhythm fits.
Fifteen minutes. We confirm you’re at the right place in your compliance journey and either bring you on or honestly point you at the tier that serves you better right now.