SARA AI Chart Review: The Future of Home Health Documentation and OASIS Coding

Purpose-Built AI, Backed by Clinicians. Designed for Home Health.

Built by clinicians, for clinicians, SARA is SimiTree’s proprietary AI engine that enhances the speed, accuracy, and quality of the outsourced coding and OASIS review services we deliver to home health agencies. This AI-powered OASIS review and coding was developed using over one million charts and refined by SimiTree’s certified coding experts, SARA combines the power of artificial intelligence with real clinical expertise, and it’s setting a new standard in post-acute care documentation.

As one of the most talked-about innovations in home health tech right now, SARA is gaining rapid attention across the industry, and for good reason.

This blog breaks down what sets SARA apart, how it works, and why it’s rapidly becoming the preferred solution for improving reimbursement accuracy, scaling operations, and reducing compliance risk. Can’t wait? Ask for more info on SARA now.

What Is SARA?

SARA (SimiTree Assessment Review AI) is a specialized AI platform designed to accelerate chart review processes, reduce operational strain, and improve both coding accuracy and OASIS scoring without compromising compliance. It uses Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and custom-trained Large Language Models (LLMs) to interpret unstructured clinical documentation and identify the most accurate ICD-10 codes, OASIS responses, and Plan of Care components.

By combining RPA, OCR, NLP, and LLMs, SARA cross-validates structured OASIS data against unstructured clinical narratives, bringing unmatched speed and precision to one of home health’s most complex workflows.

HomeCare magazine explained in a recent article that the platform identifies ICD-10 primary and comorbidity codes, optimizes OASIS scoring and flags inconsistencies before charts are finalized, reducing denials and boosting first pass acceptance rates. SARA is supported by SimiTree’s quality assurance team of clinical nurses.

SARA is more than a tool, it’s the proprietary engine behind SimiTree’s best-in-class coding and OASIS services. For clients who outsource Coding and OASIS reviews to SimiTree, SARA enables faster turnaround, better accuracy, and lower costs. While not offered as a standalone product, agencies benefit from SARA’s AI-powered reviews when they partner with us for coding and OASIS support.

What Makes SARA Different?

AI with Human Experience

SARA enhances SimiTree’s clinical review process by integrating AI with our team of certified coding professionals for expert validation on every chart.

PDGM-Optimized OASIS Review

The platform identifies Risk Adjustment opportunities, ensures functional alignment, and provides real-time QA alerts, supporting PDGM consulting strategies, all of which help maximize reimbursement and compliance.

*Looking for PDGM revenue optimization tools? SimiTree PDGM Tools

Seamless Implementation

SARA requires no new software or infrastructure to get started. SARA integrates through APIs and RPAs into your existing workflow.

Reduced Costs & Review Time

SARA streamlines the review process by leveraging citation logic and AI-powered validation, giving teams back valuable time and reducing bottlenecks in QA.

Built for Scale

With 24/7 capacity, SARA eliminates staffing bottlenecks caused by PTO, turnover, or inconsistent productivity. It supports sustainable growth even in a constrained labor market.

This efficiency is driven by SARA’s unique ability to cross-check data points and provide direct, sourced citations from clinical documentation to justify every correction. That transparency not only improves accuracy but builds trust with QA teams and surveyors alike.

Real Results Backed by Industry Experts

As featured in AI Buzz, SARA is showing measurable impact across home health agencies:

Cuts OASIS documentation review by more than 80%
Reduces chart review time from 30–45 minutes to under five
Eliminates guesswork with direct citations from clinical notes
Boosts PDGM alignment with precision scoring and QA logic
Trained on millions of anonymized records, specifically from home health and hospice

In AI Buzz, Nick Allyn notes that SARA doesn’t just flag discrepancies — it helps correct them with confidence: “SARA provides a suggested correction accompanied by a direct quote from the clinical note that justifies the change.”

These features ensure transparency, reduce audit risk, and allow reviewers to move quickly without compromising compliance.

How SARA Works

Ingests clinical documentation using OCR and NLP
Extracts critical data across OASIS, diagnosis codes, and care planning
Cross-examines documentation for discrepancies
Flags issues and suggests corrections with direct quotes from the original narrative
SARA’s AI doesn’t just flag discrepancies, it performs comparative analysis. For example, it will flag if the OASIS indicates the patient is ‘independent’ while documentation states ‘substantial assistance required,’ and then cite the exact line from the chart to justify the recommended fix.
Passes to SimiTree’s QA team for human validation

This hybrid model blends speed with accuracy, empowering agencies to improve their clinical and financial outcomes.

What Problems Does SARA Solve?

The stakes are high. Inaccurate OASIS scoring not only reduces payment under PDGM but may also trigger audits and negatively impact star ratings on Care Compare. With reimbursement tied directly to OASIS accuracy, agencies cannot afford errors.

SARA improves home health documentation efficiency and accuracy, validating every OASIS and coding decision with clinical citations.

Staffing shortages: Agencies scale without increasing headcount
If you need additional support beyond this powerful internal enablement solution, learn more about our interim staffing solutions.
Denials and audit risk: Real-time QA logic prevents submission errors
Documentation inefficiencies: Streamlined review improves turnaround time
OASIS and PDGM inaccuracy: Precision scoring boosts reimbursement

Why We Built SARA

SARA wasn’t designed to be sold as software. It was built to help our clinical teams deliver better, faster, and more accurate results to clients, especially as documentation demands grow and staffing pressures mount. When you partner with SimiTree, you get the combined power of expert reviewers and AI-powered precision.

Competitive Landscape: Clinical AI

As noted in the AI Buzz piece, “SARA enters a burgeoning AI in healthcare market… but its competitive distinction is its specialization.”

While SARA competes with emerging AI platforms, it stands apart through its specialized focus, real-time citation logic, and clinician-driven oversight. Many AI tools aim to automate revenue cycle management broadly, SARA’s strength lies in its narrow focus. Purpose-built for OASIS, PDGM, and home health compliance, SARA delivers deeper context and more accurate recommendations than generalist tools like Fathom or CodaMetrix.

Who Is SARA For?

SARA is an AI chart review internal enablement tool for home health, designed to support agencies facing documentation bottlenecks, audit risk, and staff turnover.

Home health agencies seeking faster, more accurate coding and OASIS reviews
Organizations looking to reduce audit risk and improve reimbursement
Clinical teams facing documentation bottlenecks or turnover
Compliance leaders looking for trusted support from a QA-backed partner

Implementing SARA: What to Consider

Seamless For You. There’s no software to install or workflows to redesign… SARA works behind the scenes to power every review our team delivers. We integrate through APIs and RPAs into your existing workflow. Other considerations for your team:

Secure BAAs to ensure HIPAA compliance
Train staff to review AI-recommended changes efficiently
Evaluate current EHR integration options for seamless data flow

As AI Buzz notes, the goal of AI like SARA is to “augment and scale the capacity of experts”—not to replace them. “Agencies must ensure robust Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) are in place… successful integration depends on seamless connection with existing EHR systems and staff training.”

Expert Perspective

“OASIS assessments are the foundation of home health reimbursement and outcomes measures, yet they remain one of the most complex and error-prone assessment tools in healthcare. SARA brings AI precision to OASIS and coding, improving patient assessment accuracy and optimal reimbursement outcomes.”

— J’non Griffin, SVP Coding and OASIS/Compliance, SimiTree

Ready to scale smarter, reduce risk, and optimize OASIS reviews?

With SARA, SimiTree is pioneering a model of domain-specific, clinician-supported AI that balances accuracy, efficiency, and compliance. As AI Buzz puts it, this human-in-the-loop approach is the future of healthcare operations.

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