June 7, 2018
Four years ago, enticed by the vision of a better healthcare system in the hands of empowered and elevated primary care providers, I joined my longtime mentors, Farzad Mostashari, MD and Mat Kendall, on our third collective adventure – Aledade.
Since that fateful day, I’ve served in a handful of roles – teacher, learner, confidante, road warrior, doctor, and mediator. I could write of the way our incredible mission has motivated me, kept me centered and determined, driven me to keep learning. I could explain the feeling I get when one of our Aledade physicians relays to me an a-hah moment, having realized that the Annual Wellness Visit they just conducted just saved a patient’s life, simply by opening up a conversation about the patient’s circumstances and risk factors. I could tell of the pride and exhilaration born of gaining momentum, of extending our reach to new patients across the country.
Instead, I want to share the story of Aledade’s four years through its people.
Year One introduced me to our Chief Technology Officer Edwin Miller, fabled builder of Electronic Health Record systems and incredible humanist, who literally feels the pain of our providers in a way I never thought possible. He shares his passion for working on old cars with his son and has quietly amassed the most incredible t-shirt collection I have ever seen. Edwin taught me what it means to serve our providers, to put their needs first, to dive in and do whatever is necessary to reach our goals.
In that first year, Edwin and I both got to meet Becky Jaffe, one of our original Delaware family physicians, a tireless advocate for the independent primary care provider, and the doctor I would choose for myself or any one of my family members. Becky and our indomitable physician partners in Delaware, Maryland, Arkansas, and Staten Island pushed us to be better and helped us build this incredible rocket ship without an instruction manual (and while flying it). Our first Delaware Practice Transformation Specialist, Robin Senft, taught me that you can accomplish anything with a smile – and a homemade, hand decorated cake pop.
In our second year, we blossomed. I was lucky to get to know so many new members of the Aledade team as our company grew, including Christine Dang-Vu, Golden State Warriors’ number one fan and tenacious, brilliant practice advocate and implementation strategist (and executor). A veritable One-Woman Band, Christine exemplified for me the discipline and work ethic necessary to move the needle in this complex ecosystem.
Our third year introduced me to the miracle of motherhood and the challenges of being a working mom. My daughter Nina became the light of my life on October 21, 2016, and even after an extended maternity leave, I was just not ready to suffer being away from her. My Aledade family rose up around me and held my hand, gracious, gentle and patient. Countless colleagues – friends – counselled and supported me and helped me see that there was a balance and serenity to be gained through persistence, self-love and incremental progress. My eyes were opened to so many awe-inspiring examples of Aledade parents – Candice Cortes, Spring Lane, Joe Neumann, to name a few – who have navigated this complex and often heart-wrenching dance. I can’t imagine going back to a time without Candice’s incredible EHR and practice workflow knowledge, Spring’s enthusiasm, can-do-it attitude and results-orientation, or Joe’s quiet progress behind the scenes to get us the data we need to promote practice change.
In our fourth year, our ranks continued to swell with the most inspiring individuals, personally and professionally. We count among us Peace Corps volunteers, foster parents, mountain climbers, church leaders, yoga instructors, acupuncturists, chefs, world travelers, and rodeo athletes. Every day, my colleagues carry our core values of Grit, Service and Inclusion to their communities. I am so proud and grateful to work alongside this incredible team and I cannot wait to see where, and to whom, Aledade’s fifth year takes us.