2021 saw evolvedMD hit several milestones but perhaps the one that was the most exciting was our once small company expanding to 50 full-time employees. Founded in 2017, I followed the passion of Co-Founders Steve Biljan and Erik Osland to become evolvedMD’s first employee. Five years in, it’s astonishing to witness our growth and even more amazing to see the growth of our culture. A business buzz word, we approach it differently: our culture is palpable – truly engrained and felt throughout the company which is a big reason why our employees love working at evolvedMD.
But culture is hard to scale, and many companies find it difficult to maintain what once galvanized their people at the start. At evolvedMD, we know that to keep our culture, we must always go back to our “why” and root every employee’s experience in mission. The work we do is hard but impactful, complicated but life-changing, and to make sure our people know that they are truly making a difference – we always remind ourselves of how we are enriching the lives of our patients and each other.
This year, we were intentional about capturing and celebrating our culture, our vision, and our mission moments within every role in our organization.
Leveraging our internal communications tool, we developed a space where everyone in the company can journal a mission moment to reflect on the work we do and the impact we have on our people, our practices, and our patients.
Today, I’d like to share a roundup of the mission moments shared by our team in 2021. Curated to showcase the passion of our people and our culture in action while also further cementing the importance of behavioral health services, we hope this roundup not only brightens your day, but also inspires your team to consider a similar initiative so that you can reflect on empowering moments within your organization together.
“My mission moment is definitely the success of our first collaborative field day, but also I want to thank the BHMs. Thank you for not only allowing us in your space but also taking that time to be informative and insightful. We do appreciate it.” – Joy, Care Coordination Manager
“Thankful that I have so many moments to choose from that it makes it hard to choose just one. However, I'm most grateful that evolvedMD supports professional growth opportunities for each employee! This support has poised me to receive an adjunct faculty appointment at ASU!” – Dr. Ruth Nutting, Director of Clinical Programs
“The undying support, thoughtful coaching, and investment in my growth as a human/professional from my manager Sentari Minor and the rest of the leadership team. Never had anything like it in my previous roles.” – Evan, Strategy & Marketing Specialist
“I would like to personally thank Leslie Stumpff and the management here at evolvedMD for truly caring about the employees. I went through some rough terrain during the last week or so, and they managed to all work together and make what seemed the impossible, actually (possible). Anything is truly possible while working here, I have grown to appreciate each and every one of you!!! Thank you so much for the laughs, the encouragement and the never-ending support!” – Amparo, Behavioral Health Manager
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“Thankful to be supported by such an awesome team and for the flexibility when life happens that are out of our control. Always having understanding from management.” – Janet, Care Coordinator
“Watching us ramp up in Utah has had me so impressed with the implementation team of Kim Ho, Maddie Jones, and Humberto Perez as they've kept things so organized and smooth with what's upcoming. Also having Charlene Wong and Michelle Eliseo leading recruiting and keeping me up to speed with candidates and hiring. And finally Jenn Briones handling the initial travel plans for our new hires. So many people play such a crucial part in helping with our growth and so grateful to be a part of this team!” – Jeff, Clinical Manager
“Working with Michelle Eliseo has been so helpful with the process of bringing on new CC's. You're doing a great job!” – Joy, Care Coordination Manager
“Watching my team hard at work trying to find the best possible option for patients and utilizing each other to get it done. Love the teamwork.” – Joy, Care Coordination Manager
“I had the opportunity to drive up to Flagstaff to see Janine, and Erik and Kim were there as well. It was great seeing everyone, but also so great to connect with Janine Cwiklinski. She is doing great work up there and cares so much about her patients. Every time I leave Flagstaff I feel inspired, thank you Janine for being amazing!” – Alicia, Clinical Manager
“I love spending time with my BHM's as they are the best and this week was Lydia. It was amazing seeing her do her job and I have learned so much. I love the opportunity to sit down and chat about making our work dynamic even better and how we can improve to better assist our clients and our BHMs.” – Humberto, Implementation Specialist
“Spending time this week with Jade for our peer-to-peer support. Her enthusiasm and curiosity about getting started and growing into this work helped me to reconnect with the "why" of this profession.” – Janine, Behavioral Health Manager
“Shout out to Jenn Briones for my Mission Moment. Not only is she extremely easy to work with and always on top of things, but she also happily answers the eight million questions I ask her every day without batting an eye - she has the patience of a saint. Thanks for everything you do, Jenn!” – Evan, Strategy & Marketing Specialist
“Getting to spend time with Lisseth (we got some bomb tacos for lunch, don't be jealous) and also meeting the new Care Coordinators. They are all so awesome and are a great addition to the team. evolvedMD is really killing it with who they are hiring and I'm excited to keep seeing the company grow.” – Ashley, Behavorial Health Manager
“I have to say that my mission moment is being truly honored to work for this company. Grateful and fortunate for everyone that I have met here so far, they have been receptive, positive, and engaging. This team is by far the best team I've ever worked for. Those moments that we all have lunch together and can banter about absolutely anything. EVOLVEDMD has the most AMAZING TEAM! Y'all are too wonderful for words. This model would not work without this kind of teamwork.” – Amparo, Behavioral Health Manager
“Huge shoutout to everyone at evolvedMD for making the transition to this job so easy and comfortable. It's not every day you find a job where you feel like you belong the second you step in the door, and I can't wait to see this company continue to thrive! Also, huge thank you to the OG members of the Care Coordination team for helping us new members get the hang of the job so quickly! You guys rock!” – Allison, Care Coordinator
“Today, she started the appointment with having to get another surgery and reflecting on her trauma. She shared lots of stories and she went from trauma stories to sharing resilience stories. I pointed out how the theme changed, and she starts yelling, "I AM RESILIENT!" At this point, we're both getting hyped:
HER: "I AM RESILIENT!"
ME: "YES YOU ARE!"
HER: "YES I AM!"
ME: "THAT'S RIGHT!"
We're laughing, it's fun! I said it was nice to hear her laugh and to hear HER and she was very appreciative of how I focused on the positive, let her share her stories, and didn't "make me feel like a patient." I got off the phone saying to myself, "Wow, that was a fun session. I feel good." – Darrina, Behavioral Health Manager
“I have been working with a patient who had watched a family member be over-medicated for years. He was fearful of trying medications to assist with his depression. I was able to talk with him about the high level of support at the clinic, which he has experienced with his provider and now myself, and how this would translate into better medication management. The patient is now willing to try medication in addition to continuing therapy.” – Lisseth, Behavioral Health Manager
“I had a gentleman who I saw today. He knew he was struggling with depression and anxiety but had no clue what else was happening to him. He was having many trauma-related symptoms including hypervigilance, nightmares, and flashbacks. We discussed PTSD and while he has heard of it, he was amazed that this could be happening to him! He was also then struggling with “what that says about me as a man” if he can’t handle things. He was pretty wound up upon entering my office, but we did a tapping, relaxation exercise. He felt much better after. I was able to get an urgent psych consult completed and we’re also going to refer him for an actual psychiatric evaluation. The patient was relieved to know he could get help so soon!!” – Crystal, Behavioral Health Manager
“Leah was in a visit with a regular patient when she heard a knock on the door. One of the providers had a patient that was suicidal and needed help. Leah was able to sit with him, calm him down, and complete a safety plan that worked for him. He was resistant to go inpatient and she spent the time to listen to his needs and his wants. In this time, she also got an ROI to speak with his long-time therapist and got her on the phone. She set this patient up with a therapy appointment the same afternoon and a follow-up appointment with her next week. The patient was able to contact for safety and was appreciative of Leah's work to make him feel understood and heard.” – Alicia, Clinical Manager, on behalf of Leah, Behavioral Health Manager
“A patient I had worked with and successfully discharged experienced additional life stress and called the clinic in crisis. The patient was connected to me, and I was able to assess, remind the patient of coping skills learned, and create a safety plan. Take away: the patient knew who to call in a crisis! She did not need hospitalization or inpatient, she just needed connection and knew where to find it!” – Kristy, Behavioral Health Manager
“I saw another patient the same day after notifying their provider of a recent suicide attempt. The patient was originally resistant and reported previous negative experiences with therapists. The patient trusted their provider to see a Behavioral Health Manager impromptu to address current suicidality. After the session and established follow up, the patient said: “Thank you, Shelby! You're so amazing at what you do, you make me want to try and be better, thank you for being blunt with me and not trying to sugar coat anything. I'm glad I got to talk today; I feel relieved. I can't wait to see more improvement too. Have a great rest of your day!” – Shelby, Behavioral Health Manager
“I had such a rewarding feeling this week when one of my patients provided me with some positive feedback, saying: “I was just writing in the journal pages you gave me, and I wanted to say thank you. I've been feeling better. It sure helps taking my meds seriously and getting advice from a professional as opposed to friends' advice.” – Sofia, Behavioral Health Manager
“My mission moment is being able to go in person to the practices and being able to help some patients right then and there in person. It made the process a lot smoother for some patients.” – Janet, Care Coordinator
“My mission moment focused on the value of cultural competence and knowing when to ask the well-timed question.... Despite the "small town" vibe of Flagstaff I have had clients from all over the planet and this week two from some very distant spots. The question was: "Tell me your immigration story." It opened up great conversation and built trust in the deep listening of arrival and respect for the journey of the patients.” – Janine, Behavioral Health Manager
“This week while talking to a client she expressed to me that she was starting to feel really hopeless until she met with one of our Behavioral Health Managers. She stated this was the first time she felt like providers at a doctor's office actually cared about her well-being and really appreciated us trying to help her find some additional services outside of the office.” – Ashley, Behavioral Health Manager
“I love it when patients use the techniques we teach them and it helps them feel better! I have a patient I am seeing because she was in a few car accidents and was having anxiety about driving. We worked on grounding techniques, and she is now driving again. She continues to improve on her anxiety every time we meet.” – Kristy, Behavioral Health Manager
“I had a great phone call with a patient yesterday. This client had a bad experience with one of the resources we recommended a couple months ago, he was expressing frustration about the medical system in the U.S. and how he feels doctors don't care anymore and patients are just numbers. I listened, empathized with him, and we talked at length about the feeling of just being another number. We ended up discussing evolvedMD's mission on changing the behavioral health landscape in this way, putting our patients as the highest priority and making sure nobody falls through the cracks of a broken system. Toward the end of the call, he told me he could feel that I truly cared, and he was very grateful for my assistance in connecting him to a better psychiatry resource” – Ailise, Care Coordinator
“My mission moment was with a gentleman who I have been seeing for six months. He is very guarded, and it was uncertain if he would continue counseling with a new BHM. He’s consistent with attendance but has been quiet. Today, he was open and clear. He shared about past events that have been troubling him, and very clearly said, "I don't want to be broken anymore" and that he wants to start working on past issues. He showed real growth and trust today.” – Sylvia, Behavioral Health Manager
“Our mission is amazing! When I consider the growth that we have achieved already in 2 states, with the growth planned just for the remainder of this year, I get jazzed up! What we are doing everyday matters! Each clinic we add, each BHM and CC we hire, each provider we teach to "evolve" in patient care equals real people that we can help! Together, we truly are changing the trajectory of the communities and people we serve! (I know that is a lot of !’s, but I told you I was jazzed up!)” – Sarah Hanchett, Director of Clinical Services
“While checking in with a soon-to-be BHM she said, "I'm so excited and grateful to be joining evolvedMD. I've been waiting for this moment for almost a year!” – Charlene Wong, Director of People
“Reflecting on our management meetings of this week -- grateful to be working with such passionate and engaged colleagues. Coming into a beautiful office on a Friday morning and dancing to hip-hop music. Eating something other than peanut toast for lunch today (fish tacos with Kim Ho)! Listening to the laughter and camaraderie that overflows from the Care Coordination team outside of my office on a daily basis fills my heart.” – Charlene Wong, Director of People
“The All Team Gathering was AMAZING!! I had SO much fun meeting and spending time with evolvedMDers who I don't get to spend time with often!” – Dr. Ruth Nutting, Director of Clinical Programs
“Getting together with the team for a great cause: Ignite Hope through PCH. Wonderful to meet y'alls loved ones and getting the chance to drive impact with everyone. Thank you, Jazmine Cole, for organizing and coordinating.” – Evan, Strategy & Marketing Specialist
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