Hear What Fuel Medical Members Have to Say
Fuel Medical provides an award-winning array of custom insights, tools and actionable solutions that enhance practice performance and impact patient outcomes for thousands of audiology and ear, nose and throat practices nationwide. Each audiology and ENT practice has a story about working with Fuel Medical. We don’t want you to take our word for it. Listen to some of our members discuss the benefits they’ve discovered through working with Fuel Medical.
This month, our Ask Fuel First question is: What are the benefits of having a partnership with Fuel Medical?
In June 2023, we held a symposium in San Diego, California, where we met with almost 200 of our members from around the country. Many members agreed to talk about their experiences with us. Here are a few members discussing some of the benefits they’ve discovered while working with Fuel Medical.
“It Literally Changes People”
Lori Larsen started her career at South Valley Ear, Nose & Throat as a front desk receptionist 14 years ago. From there, she moved into a front desk manager position and was recently promoted to marketing manager. In 2017, she had an issue with teamwork among the front office staff, so she asked Fuel Medical’s Professional Development team to work with them. Here’s what she had to say about that experience:
I had Jim [Fedio] come in, and we did a whole training with my front office staff on the idea of “That’s not my job.” He got everybody on the same page of “We’re all one team, and it doesn’t matter what department you’re in; we’re going to help each other.”
And it started a little snowball effect because we sat down and created what we thought our company’s culture was. Then he met with the MAs, and they did the same thing, and he met with billing and did the same thing. And then all [of] the management team got together, and we pulled those words together to create our motto.
Then we had a whole companywide meeting, and it was so cool for everybody to see what their parts were in creating [the motto] and that it wasn’t just us saying, “This is what we believe in,” and “This is why.” It was them. They created that.
And when we started this whole “What is our culture [training],” you literally see the change in people because of what you’re doing. I just want to shout this from the rooftops because it literally changes people. It changes everyone, and patients can feel it when they come in the door. It truly is amazing. And I’m not just saying that; I mean it.
L. Larsen, personal communication, June 9, 2023
Ingrid Edwards, the Clinical Director at Heuser Hearing Institute, also spoke about how our Professional Development team’s training helped. She said that providing training for the Heuser Hearing Institute was particularly challenging because their nonprofit business is made up of two parts: 1) schools and 2) clinics. Having a diversity of positions results in employees often having different focuses.
Sometimes just getting our schedules to where they’re focused is hard enough, not to mention the focus of where we want to be in three months, six months and nine months. So he [Jim Fedio] just brings us all together, makes us focus on that common cause and changes culture that way. And it’s amazing.
I. Edwards, personal communication, June 9, 2023
Lori’s experience with Fuel Medical’s Professional Development training impacted the practice. But that wasn’t the end. She’s been able to work with our marketing, digital services and design teams over the years and had this to say:
Every question I have asked has been answered with kindness and learning. We’re still learning constantly, right? I don’t know everything… Everything’s changing constantly; we can’t keep up with that all. And you’re trying to compete with competitor practices, patients coming in, and all of that, too. You have to have people behind you. So thank goodness for you guys [Fuel Medical].
L. Larsen, personal communication, June 9, 2023
An Instant Network
Nick Zeedyk, the Manager of the ENT and Audiology Departments for Pinehurst Surgical ENT Audiology, echoed Lori’s sentiment about Fuel Medical having her back. Nick also appreciated the way that Fuel Medical brings members together. He had this to say:
And just from my experience with Fuel having access to subject matter experts…people that are literally degreed professionals in this industry… I think it’s good. It brings you into a network of individuals…
[Also] If I’m managing a practice and you’re managing a practice, right? We may not necessarily talk to each other or see each other, but I can reach out to my regional manager [David Brauhn] from Fuel, and he’ll be like, “You know, I think there’s another guy going through a similar problem or this gal over here has got something going on…Let’s reach out to them real quick and get you guys in touch.” So it really opens a network of people doing the same thing as you.
N. Zeedyk, personal communication, June 9, 2023
Nick’s expertise is in practice management—not audiology. But he has access to people who are experts in that field. This includes some of Fuel Medical’s employees, like Rose DuLude, Director of Audiology, and Don Nielsen, Audiology University Advisor, who are both doctors of audiology. Nick’s regional director has also taken the time to connect him with other managers in the industry to solve issues as they arise.
A Support System
We also sat down with Ellen Baker, audiologist and owner of Decibel Hearing Services. She described her relationship with Fuel Medical over the years:
I started 19 years ago… I was the whole business. I did everything. I did scheduling. I did testing. I did check-ins. I did fittings…You know, I was the phone person. So I did everything.
…These two people walk in [my office], Brendan [Ford] and Shawn [Parker], and they show me this little flip book of all their services. And [I thought], “Look how organized they are and what they can offer to me”…
I think probably within the first year (I’m one of the original members) as my business grew, so did Fuel’s. It was kind of…the same trajectory…
…One of the other groups kept pestering me, and they just really wanted to control my business and do all that stuff [that] I was very much against. I love that Fuel was so laid back. It’s like, “All right, well, we have this, and when you’re ready we’ll do that.” And bit by bit, I got their marketing services and their HR services, their collateral. Almost everything they had to offer I’ve hooked up with, and it’s been such a relief to me because I don’t have to worry about that part of my business. I can focus on being a clinician and working with my patients. And so that’s been really, really good.
Fuel has been very innovative and creative, thinking outside the box. Our industry changes a lot, and they are always right on top of every change and giving us solutions to those changes, which I really love. I always feel like Fuel has my back, and I think that’s been a wonderful, wonderful experience. I don’t think I could have grown as fast or the way I wanted to without Fuel.
E. Baker, personal communication, June 9, 2023
As Ellen’s business grew, Fuel Medical’s services also evolved. Even when industry changes occurred, Fuel Medical partnered with Ellen to find practical solutions that worked for her practice.
Working with Fuel Medical has many benefits for audiology and ENT practices, regardless of the size. Our members have said that we’re a valuable support system throughout the lifecycle of their business. We help our members build networks with like-minded professionals in the industry. We also listen to our members’ concerns and deliver impactful training to solve practices’ unique problems. These are just a few of the benefits of working with Fuel Medical. Are you interested in learning more about Fuel Medical, or are you ready to get started? Please fill out the form on this page; we’ll be happy to connect with you.