https://www.hmenews.com/article/bellevue-healthcare-sparks-25th-year-with-growth
Bellevue Healthcare Sparks 25th Year with Growth
‘We have so much left to accomplish’
“Patient demand and existing relationships in the region provided a natural jumping off point for Bellevue Healthcare’s newest location in Salem, Ore., its fourth in the state and 22nd overall, says Bryce Schaffner.
The new location will offer a full range of mobility and respiratory equipment, as well as a retail business. It will also serve hospice customers who were previously served from another location.
“There’s a lot of unmet need in the greater Willamette Valley area,” said Schaffner, executive vice president, business development. “I think people are just hungry for providers that deliver timely and do what they say they will do.”
Bellevue also has locations in Washington state and Idaho.
The company, which marks its 25th anniversary in August, has remained independent, preferring to grow organically and build on its track record of customer service, says Joel Gallion, president.
“There’s no magic formula, other than having that track record and, with every (new location), you get a little better at it and you learn from it,” he said. “We’ve always just approached our industry a little bit differently and looked to innovative brands that looked at customer service and delivery models differently.”
‘The Bellevue way’
Bellevue has many long-term employees who understand what the company is trying to accomplish. In return, the company empowers them to take care of customers and supports their professional development. Case in point: The manager of the new location in Salem started out as a delivery tech and has worked at two previous locations.
“He’s done a great job in other stops along the way and now he’s spearheading our newest location,” said Gallion. “That’s really what we’ve been about all along, and we want to continue with that mindset and teach them the Bellevue way.”
‘Beyond the lowest dollar’
When it comes to servicing its referral sources, Bellevue says those conversations go beyond just the “lowest dollar widget” to focus on the value-add it offers, says Schaffner.
“I think organizations are starting to realize it’s not just about the prices, but it’s the overall process and how you might be saving your staff time and working with an organization that’s efficiently run and responsive,” he said. “They don’t want to waste time with processes that burden their lives so they’re selecting the easiest organization to work with. That’s where the definition of value really is.”
‘A lot of runway’
Both Gallion and Schaffner have grown up with Bellevue, starting at the company in their 20s. As they look at the next five to 10 years, they see opportunities for further geographic growth, new product categories and new partnerships that will allow it to continue to evolve, says Gallion.
“Even though we’re hitting the 25-year mark, we feel like we have so much left to accomplish,” Gallion said. “It’s hard to think about what comes next other than to keep doing what we’re doing and continuing to see opportunities come our way. I feel like we have a lot of runway.””