Key to Growth: Whole Person Model and a Great Culture
The growth of the aging population is expected to double by 2020 – that’s a significant demographic shift that comes with opportunity and challenges as companies realign strategies and vision to create healthcare systems fit for the future.
Right here in the Twin Cities, Lifespark’s momentum has been ‘sparked’ with the honor of winning the Fast 50 award from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. “We are growing at a rapid pace,” said Joel Theisen, RN, CEO/Founder of Lifespark. “This award demonstrates we are among the fastest growing private companies in Minnesota, and it also shows that people want what we are delivering –clients, employees, and partners. We’re on track to hit $20 million this year – the major reason relates to the expansion of our whole-person population health model, our partnerships and our culture.”
With caregiver shortages impacting the care Minnesota companies ar
e delivering, Lifespark knows how important culture is to maintaining growth – a crucial component of effective and person-centered care according to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. It’s why Lifespark has been able to deliver quality whole person senior care and sustain growth. “Culture has always been and continues to be one of our major focal points, especially with our extensive growth this year in particular,” said Joel. “We put a lot of time and attention into talking about our culture at the leadership level and continually work to spark our people’s lives, especially at work. Growth creates challenges in integrating new folks into our team, and we invest in culture-building from screening and interviewing new team members right through orientation and onboarding. In my opinion, culture doesn’t just eat strategy for lunch, it IS the strategy – it is the most essential element in our success. The right people with the right values who work collectively to create a sparked culture.”
But that’s not the only reason Lifespark was deemed a Fast 50 company. Joel adds that partnerships have been a major driving force over the past three years contributing to growth. “Partnerships have been essential to our growth and vision. We know that isolation is fatal and to better serve seniors and their families, we need to create systems of excellence,” continued Joel. “Our model for whole-person population health for seniors is designed to plug into various types of partners – health systems, long-term care providers, senior living campuses, and membership associations. And so we have been seeking organizations with leaders who believe what we believe – who know there can be a different experience for people in the second half of life and who are willing to invest in collaborations to change that experience.”
Being named a Fast 50 company shows that people want a different aging experience that goes beyond traditional home care options to dramatically improve outcomes while lowering long-term costs for clients and health systems. “It’s our way of answering the call of creating a healthcare system that fits the demands of our aging population and puts people at the center of their health care,” said Joel. “And of course, sparks lives, too.”
Join the conversation, what are you doing to help your organization grow and create change? How are you sparking lives?