Wesco Industries: A Paperless Success Story with Therap Services

Since 1966, Wesco Industries has been supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Located in Denison, Iowa, the non-profit organization offers a range of services, including residential services, transitional living, employment services, adult day programs, and respite care. In 2009, Wesco saw an opportunity to improve efficiency and organization by transitioning from paper to electronic documentation. Implementing Therap’s system has helped Wesco to streamline their documentation processes and improve efficiency and compliance.

"I have flashbacks of the rooms of paper and boxes," recalls Deidra Brown, Assistant Director at Wesco. "If you needed something, you had to send a team of people to go through boxes and individual papers." The shift to electronic documentation eliminated this challenge, allowing staff to quickly find and update records without sifting through physical files. "Therap has been a game changer for us," says Brown. "It's a centralized location where we can put anything into one place."

The benefits of using Therap have extended far beyond the reduction of paper. Electronic documentation has helped Wesco ensure accuracy in the supports they provide. The agency uses Therap’s MAR to help make sure medications are accurately administered and documented. “When you're dealing with medications, you're dealing with a person's life,” Brown explains. “You want to know that [staff] are doing what they need to be doing and they're doing it correctly.” Therap has given Wesco a reliable system for tracking medication administration in real-time, giving staff access to the information they need and reducing the occurrence of miscommunication and errors.

Therap has been a game changer for us. It's a centralized location where we can put anything into one place.

The easy access to documentation that Therap provides has also positively impacted Wesco’s quality assurance and audit results. “In 2023 we had a zero recommendation CARF survey and I do attribute Therap,” shares Brown. “The organization of everything has really helped with audits."

Though some agencies are hesitant to transition to electronic documentation due to the learning curve for staff, Brown says that Therap’s ease of use has allowed Wesco’s staff to seamlessly adapt, regardless of technological experience. "We have staff with differing levels of technological ability and I feel like the benefit [of Therap] is, it's pretty straightforward and easy to train on." With an intuitive system in place, staff can quickly learn how to navigate and use Therap effectively, allowing them to focus more on providing support to individuals.

Wesco Industries’ use of electronic documentation is a testament to the transformative power of technology in human services. “It's worth the investment,” Brown reflects. “I'm so glad we implemented it when we did.” As Wesco continues to grow and evolve, having a reliable and organized documentation system ensures that they can remain focused on their mission of supporting individuals with disabilities.

We have staff with differing levels of technological ability and I feel like the benefit [of Therap] is, it's pretty straightforward and easy to train on.

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