Buckner Retirement Services Unifies Care Across a Growing Portfolio with myUnity

For nearly 150 years, Buckner Retirement Services has carried forward a mission rooted in dignity, service and compassionate care. What began in 1879 as modest row houses near a Dallas orphans home has grown into the second-largest nonprofit senior living provider in Texas, serving more than 2,000 senior adults each year across eight communities.

As Buckner continues to grow, its commitment remains the same: deliver consistent, high-quality care across every stage of aging.

When Buckner acquired The Stayton, a senior living community in Fort Worth, leaders saw an opportunity to bring that same standard of care into a newly added community. To do that, they needed technology that could support continuity across assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, rehabilitation and beyond.

By transitioning The Stayton to Netsmart myUnity®, Buckner created a more connected experience for staff and residents, supported smoother care transitions and reinforced the organization's long-standing commitment to using technology in service of its mission.

Navigating Growth with a Consistent Standard of Care

Stephanie Hesley, senior director of health care services at Buckner Retirement Services, understands the complexity of delivering care across multiple communities and levels of acuity. Her team supports residents through assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and other services, all while maintaining Buckner's organization-wide standard for compassionate, person-centered care.

When The Stayton joined the Buckner family, the community was already using a familiar legacy electronic health record (EHR). Staff knew the system, trusted it and were hesitant to change.

But as Buckner evaluated the workflow more closely, one issue became clear: the existing system did not fully support the continuity of care Buckner expected for its residents.

"It's very common for us to have somebody go from assisted living to skilled nursing," Hesley said. "In the legacy system, they had to totally start a chart over."

For Buckner, starting over was more than a workflow issue. Resident information, care needs, preferences and clinical history needed to follow each person through every transition. Rebuilding charts created unnecessary friction for staff and introduced the potential for gaps during moments when residents needed consistency most.

Buckner made the decision to move forward with a solution that better aligned with its mission.

Building on Long-Term Collaboration

Changing EHRs can be a significant undertaking, especially when staff are comfortable with an existing system. Buckner approached the transition carefully, recognizing the importance of preparation, communication and support.

The organization also had the advantage of a long-standing relationship with Netsmart. Over 13 years, Buckner and Netsmart had built a foundation grounded in open feedback and shared problem-solving. When Buckner raised concerns about the risks of change, those concerns were taken seriously rather than dismissed.

"The biggest value is probably that it's a bi-directional relationship," Hesley said. "We can give open feedback to Netsmart, and we can get return results."

That foundation gave Buckner the confidence to move forward on its own terms.

One Resident. One Record. Every Level of Care.

With myUnity, Buckner gained the ability to maintain one continuous resident record across multiple levels of care.

"In myUnity, it's all under one record," Hesley said. "So, to be able to have that copy feature and not start over from scratch on everything made the workflow so much better."

Now, when a resident transitions from assisted living to skilled nursing, memory care or rehabilitation, their information moves with them. Staff can continue the care journey without rebuilding a chart from the beginning.

Supporting Staff Through Change

The transition also helped Buckner reinforce confidence in its technology direction. Staff adoption exceeded expectations, including among team members who were initially more comfortable with the legacy system.

“Oh, the new version is amazing,” Hesley said. “The greatest benefit for our new users has been the excitement.”

For Buckner, that response mattered. Moving to myUnity was not just about replacing one system with another. It was about giving staff a more connected, intuitive experience that could support the way residents actually move across levels of care.

Technology That Supports the Mission

For Buckner, the impact of myUnity was felt quickly. Care transitions that once required staff to rebuild charts now flow through a single resident record, and teams are better equipped to support residents as they move across levels of care.

"They've made my job easier," Hesley said.

But the value extends beyond workflow improvement. For Hesley, the transition reflects something bigger about the kind of organization Buckner chooses to be.

"I think it shows them we're committed to moving forward with technology, to let it help work for us instead of being an extra chore," Hesley said.

As Buckner continues to grow, myUnity gives teams a consistent foundation for care delivery across communities and levels of care, helping staff support residents through transitions without losing the clinical history and continuity that residents depend on.