Key takeaways from the McKnight’s webinar, sponsored by OneStep
In long-term care, we’ve long known that mobility matters. But for too long, it’s been underutilized, treated as anecdotal, episodic, or too subtle to track at scale. That’s changing fast.
In a recent McKnight’s webinar sponsored by OneStep, an expert panel came together to discuss how mobility data, robotics, and AI are transforming senior care; not just improving outcomes, but changing the financial equation. The conversation included Michael Bankowski (CEO, Prosperous Robotics), Kris Jacobson (Executive Consultant, Adept Senior Living), Dereck Mattson (SVP, Christensen Group Insurance), and Pat Tarnowski (Chief Commercial Officer, OneStep).
Here are some of the biggest ideas that emerged from the discussion, and what they mean for operators, clinicians, and residents alike.
Movement is one of the earliest and most sensitive indicators of health decline. That was true when panelist Michael Bankowski witnessed it among veterans early in his career, and it’s even more relevant today as he referred to over 1.3 billion people worldwide experiencing mobility related limitations.
The big shift? We're finally measuring movement at scale. Technologies like OneStep’s gait analysis platform use smartphones to passively assess mobility in real life — no wearables, no extra effort. That means clinicians can spot decline before a fall, identify therapy needs earlier, and personalize care based on objective insights, not guesswork.
“We all know that movement is one of the earliest indicators of health decline.” — Michael Bankowski, Prosperous Robotics
He also reflected on the personal impact of losing mobility:
“When I lost movement… I felt like I lost my independence and felt like I lost my dignity.” — Michael Bankowski, Prosperous Robotics
Watch the complete webinar here.
Dereck Mattson brought the insurance perspective into focus: 45% of all claims that result in payouts are fall-related. The average cost of a single fall? Up to $250,000. And claim values have doubled in the last decade.
Insurers now expect more than just incident reports, they want data that shows organizations are proactively reducing risk. That’s where mobility insights can change the conversation.
“Are people able to show back to their insurance partner that… they have trended lower on the amount of frequency of falls because of early detection…?” — Dereck Mattson, Christensen Group Insurance
He added that the point isn’t luck — it’s proof:
“The more you can show that you guys are actually making real life differences… I believe that’s going to be extremely valuable in the pure comparison game that is insurance pricing.” — Dereck Mattson, Christensen Group Insurance
That translates to more than just safety: It means lower liability premiums, faster reimbursement reviews, and stronger defensibility in audits and litigation.
Too often, technology is introduced as a “solution” that creates more problems,more tasks, more alerts, more friction. The panel was clear: if it adds to staff burden, it’s not a solution.
Instead, platforms like OneStep are focusing on automation, integration, and ease of use. Gait insights feed directly into EMRs. Alerts only surface when they matter. And data can be captured by anyone, not just licensed clinicians.
“This is helping us to understand where we need to deploy more staff, where we need to maybe be more proactive in addressing different key things that are coming from that data.” — Kris Jacobson, Adept Senior Living
The impact is real. With tools like OneStep, clinicians save up to 34 minutes per week. Staff can triage more effectively, families feel more informed, and residents stay independent longer.
There’s still uncertainty around AI. What does it mean in real care settings? How do we know it’s safe? But the panel emphasized this: AI isn’t about replacing people. It’s about elevating them.
“If we can help… those repetitive tasks through AI and free up the caregiver to do the things that they love to do… that is a huge opportunity I think that AI can play.” — Michael Bankowski, Prosperous Robotics
From automatic care plan updates to personalized robotic assistance, AI can remove friction and reduce errors. Combined with real-world mobility data, it empowers teams to respond faster and with more confidence.
Yes, organizations are seeing measurable ROI, up to 6x via referrals, 20% more billable units, and $150/patient/month through Remote Therapeutic Monitoring with OneStep. But the panel made it clear: the biggest return is in better outcomes.
When residents avoid falls, stay independent, or recover faster, everyone benefits. Families feel confident. Staff feel empowered. And organizations deliver higher quality care, sustainably.
“Mobility isn’t just movement. It really… It's this window into health. It’s a window into independence.” — Pat Tarnowski, OneStep
We’re entering an era where care doesn’t wait for a crisis. Where movement is measured continuously, interpreted intelligently, and used to drive real change,clinically and operationally.
The takeaway? Mobility isn’t just how people move. It’s how we move healthcare forward.
And at OneStep, we believe: We are how we move.
Check out the webinar recording here.