Luthercare is a not-for-profit, faith-based senior living and early learning organization operating three communities in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Leadership wanted technology to support the organization’s mission and growth, but an outdated IT environment and an underperforming support model stood in the way. Luthercare engaged Hartman Executive Advisors to provide a comprehensive IT assessment and ongoing CIO leadership to stabilize, modernize, and transform its technology environment.
The Challenge
Technology That Held Back Staff and Residents
Luthercare struggled with significant technology and operational challenges that affected both staff efficiency and resident experiences. Its IT environment was largely outdated, with antiquated clinical, financial, and communication platforms that lacked integration and prevented access to critical data.
Despite maintaining an internal IT team, performance was not meeting expectations, and response times for support were significantly delayed. Critical functions, including resident portal access and external communications, were unreliable, directly affecting the organization’s ability to attract new residents.
Hartman was introduced to Luthercare through a trusted industry relationship at a time when executive leadership was actively seeking guidance. The engagement began with the support of the CEO, COO, and a newly appointed CFO, who brought a fresh perspective and recognized the need to reposition IT from a cost center to a strategic enabler of growth and innovation.
The Solution
Engaging Strategic IT Leadership
Hartman began the engagement by stepping into a strategic IT leadership role, reporting directly to Luthercare’s executive team and conducting a full assessment of the organization’s technology landscape, including people, processes, systems, and vendor relationships. The evaluation uncovered systemic issues with outdated infrastructure and systems, a lack of integration across platforms, and limited alignment with industry best practices.
Based on these findings, Hartman developed and executed a modernization strategy focused on stabilizing core systems and restructuring the IT operating model. Luthercare transitioned from a fully internal IT model to a hybrid structure, outsourcing help desk services to a managed service provider to improve support, responsiveness, and scalability. Internally, the focus shifted toward building specialized capabilities in data analytics and business intelligence to support more strategic decision-making.
Hartman also guided Luthercare through critical technology upgrades, including a transition to Microsoft 365, modernized infrastructure, and improved communication and collaboration tools across the organization.
In parallel, Hartman established governance frameworks, including IT policies and procedures and a formal technology investment and innovation committee to drive prioritization and accountability. This structured, multiyear, phased approach moved Luthercare from reactive IT support to a proactive, strategy-driven technology function.
Results That Repositioned IT for Growth
Through its partnership with Hartman, Luthercare achieved significant improvements in operational efficiency, service delivery, and organizational competitiveness. The shift in leadership mindset, from viewing IT as a cost center to recognizing it as a driver of innovation, positioned the organization for long-term growth.
Today, Hartman remains engaged as Luthercare’s strategic IT leadership partner, helping guide governance, technology prioritization, system optimization, and emerging opportunities such as data-driven insights and AI adoption to support operational excellence and an enhanced resident experience.
Faster, More Reliable IT Support
A managed service provider model improved response times, resolved prior service challenges, and enabled more reliable day-to-day operations for staff and residents.
Better Access to Data Across Departments
Modernized systems and improved integration gave staff more effective access to data, supporting better decision-making and coordination across departments.
Stronger Engagement With Prospective Residents
Enhanced communication platforms resolved issues that had hindered marketing and admissions, improving engagement with prospective residents and reducing lost opportunities.
A Foundation for Data and AI Adoption
With a stabilized, modern foundation, Luthercare has advanced into data-driven insights and the early stages of AI adoption to drive further efficiencies.
