Closing the loop: Verhulst brings personal insight, big ‑picture vision to HCD

RICHMOND, Va. – Home Care Delivered (HCD) has named industry veteran Chris Verhulst chief growth officer, tapping his two decades of health care experience and personal connection to home care to help close gaps in a fragmented system.

“Home care continues to present significant growth opportunities as the industry shifts care from high-cost inpatient settings to the home – where patients not only prefer to be, but often achieve better outcomes,” said Verhulst, whose experience includes more than two decades at Henry Schein. “That perspective is rooted in both my professional experience and my family’s journey supporting my mother through home care, which reinforced how impactful the right support at home can be.”

In a recent conversation with HME News, Verhulst discusses where he sees the biggest disconnects in care delivery, how technology can help bridge them, and how HCD plans to scale without losing its patient-first roots.

HME News: Where do you see the biggest gaps in health care?

Chris Verhulst: I think it ranges from the payers involved to the particular health systems. (It’s also) the patients on the other end who are trying to navigate that – whether they're in a community where it's very closed loops, all the way to areas where my mom was that did not have closed loops, and you're relying on different providers to connect together in an open market. And we just haven't closed (those) loops.

HME: What role does technology play in closing that loop?

Verhulst: Technology in home care must advance at a pace that meets the market where it is, aligning with the expectations of sophisticated health systems and value-based payers, while also remaining accessible to providers and patients who are slower to adopt. It’s about progress without leaving anyone behind.

HME: How will HCD’s employees be empowered to help the company achieve its next phase of growth?

Verhulst: As HCD evolves from its founder-led roots into a more structured, growth-oriented organization, our focus is on scaling with purpose, not just size. That starts with clearly communicating where we’re headed, what success looks like, and how every individual contributes to it. By aligning our team around a transparent vision and a focused strategic plan, we’re creating the momentum to execute, advance, and win together."

HME: As the company moves forward, what is the public face of HCD you hope to present?

Verhulst: I love the founder-led (company) that Gordy Fox started, which is that we care about the patient; we care about integrity. So, even as we dance into technology, that still remains first and foremost.