Changing the Face of Healthcare From Within
According to the United States Administration on Aging, our elderly population is rapidly growing —nearly 44.7 million people were aged 65 and older as of 2013—up from 43.1 million people in 2012. Given this trend, astute players within the health care industry must shift to meet the need of potential patients with an offering of health care services catered to their needs. One company that’s ahead of the trend is CareFinders Total Care. With an eye on growth and concern for the quality of patient care, this emergent company has created an internal culture that’s committed to improving the field of home health care—and the entire health industry. That culture, which originates directly from the top of the ogranization, is focused on meeting the varied needs of its patients. Even while pursuing lofty business goals and a big vision, this down-to-earth company knows how to put people first.
Opportunity for Growth & Impact
With four offices at the time of acquisition, CareFinders enjoyed a steady client base and a good reputation within its service area. Given the reality of an aging population, increasing numbers of people would soon need some form of health care—much of which would be more cost-effective, practical and helpful if completed in the comfort of patients’ homes. In light of this anticipated shift and the company’s solid position, Mintz and Hausner strongly believed that the company was poised for growth and greater success.
At the same time, both were dedicated to expanding the company’s service offering so patients could receive the wide variety of care they needed through one service. Accordingly, one of the first things that Mintz and Hausner did was to change the company’s name by adding “Total Care”—a symbolic move meant to reflect the company’s motivation to provide comprehensive home health services for patients. With data to support this growth, the company expanded by offering a broader array of home health care options, including: Alzheimer’s & dementia care; Bathing, dressing & grooming; Companionship; Grocery shopping & meal preparation; Hospice; Housecleaning & laundry; Medication reminders; Mobility assistance & transfers; Physician-approved exercise therapy and recreation; and Post-surgery recovery.
By providing these services in home, patients benefit from lower health care costs, improved outcomes and decreased stress from constantly traveling to other locations for appointments and medications. In an industry too often focused on the bottom line —with the majority of decisions based upon profit margins — CareFinders was bucking the trend by actually focusing on, and being driven by, the well-being and care of the people it serves.
“Our idea was to provide a total care package—everything a patient needs in his or her own home,” says Mintz. “Providing care at home is the most cost-effective way to care for elderly people while retaining dignity and respect for the patients.”
Investing in Team to Establish Culture
They also recognized that providing top-flight home health care services depends greatly on the team members who interact with patients and families first hand: the home health aides. CareFinders Total Care currently employs about 3,200 home health aides throughout their entire service area. Each of these caregivers is certified, having completed a 76-hour course, with many completing additional training well beyond what’s required. Moreover, in order to support their performing at the top of their field, the company also offers, or plans to offer, aides extensive specialty training in services related to Alzheimer’s, autism, alternative medicine, nutrition, music therapy and other wellness programs.
Not only does CareFinders’ leader-ship provide caregivers with the necessary training, but it also takes great pride in supporting them at a personal level, including through tough times or challenging life circumstances. Leadership has worked hard to create a company culture that has more of a family feel. If an employee is dealing with a health problem or other serious issue, the rest of the team comes together to support them.
“Sandy and I are very passionate about the quality of care and having an impact on people’s lives,” says Mintz. “It’s not just about the bottom line; we really do care about the important services we provide and the caregivers who offer invaluable services to our patients every day.”
Innovation Driven by Care
To keep up with the rapidly changing health care market, Care-Finders Total Care is embracing technological advances to enhance both the quality of care for their patients and the capabilities of their staff. By investing in developing tele-health services for their patients they can now support registered nurses who are able to visit patients in their homes, complete an assessment, and create a total plan of care that is connected through the entire CareFinders system. Each of these nurses has access to laptops connected to electronic health records so that a patient’s vitals and other information can be accessed and updated in real time. Since some visits to emergency rooms are rooted in missed physician appointments or incorrect medication usage, nurses are better able to track appointments and prescriptions and work toward preventing those emergent cases.
One significant technology partner is Phillips, a health technology company provider with 40 years of experience in medical alert services, whose Lifeline service has helped more than seven million to reach help quickly after falls, injuries or other health issues. In order to meet patient needs, CareFinders offers this to help ensure the safety and well-being of patients who are either alone or out of reach when they need help.
As Mintz points out, “Developing tele-health services helps us bring the total care package together. We are always thinking about how technology can impact the future of the health care system by improving outcomes and creating cost savings.”
Partnership That Fuels Expansion
As CareFinders continues to grow and expand across the state of New Jersey, the leadership team has its sights set on covering more ground, possibly in Pennsylvania. With another 10 potential partnerships on the horizon and a goal of providing services for more than 9,000 people, the company anticipates tripling in size and becoming the leading provider of home health care in the area.
In order to get there, CareFinders looks to their financial relationship with Sterling National Bank as an extended part of the team. When Mintz and Hausner first decided to acquire the company, the team at Sterling was there for support at every turn. Ever since — whether by offering lines of credit or connecting the company to other specialized consultants – Sterling National Bank has played a key role in helping CareFinders Total Care realize their vision to drive business and support extensive growth.
