Here we go, into the unknown!
2020 was a wild ride for everyone, but especially for those of us in the healthcare industry. Just before the pandemic began, our company was hit with unexpected news, we were “joining forces” with another provider. To say this shocked us would be an understatement.
Not only were we merging, but we were also transitioning from paper documentation to an unfamiliar system: an EOR. At that first Friday meeting with the new company’s leadership, we were told we could ask questions, but in truth, most of us were too stunned to speak. By Monday, the integration process had begun.
We dove into learning the new system. The tasks were endless, and the learning curve was steep, but I surprised myself by enjoying many of the challenges. Our official go-live date was set for March 29th, my birthday, which is the only reason I even remember the date. Truthfully, that whole season feels like a blur.
And then, as if all that wasn’t enough, COVID-19 shut the world down in mid-March. Suddenly, life changed both inside and outside of work. Now we weren’t just adjusting to a merger and a brand-new system, we were doing it all while supporting our clients remotely, minimizing face-to-face contact, and working under strict new safety measures. Even in the office, masks and distancing created barriers that made it harder to feel connected, both to coworkers and to the people we served.
Despite this, I had an incredible team. My group worked tirelessly to meet deadlines and get the system up and running. Weekends and evenings blurred into data entry sessions, though truthfully, there wasn’t much to miss outside since the world had all but shut down.
I spent countless hours calling families and DSPs, reassuring them this was a good move, even while privately holding doubts myself. But I knew this: my managers, my crew, my people, they were the reason I could say, with confidence, “We’re going to be okay.” Because at the heart of a strong agency, it’s never about the systems or the company name. It’s about the people. Always.
March 29th: Go-Live in the Middle of Chaos
Slowly but surely, March 29th crept closer, and we were working fast and furious to get everything done. One of the biggest challenges was training our DSPs to document notes in the new system, except, truthfully, we didn’t even know how to document in it yet.
Originally, the new company had planned to send people onsite to support DSPs through the transition, but thanks to COVID, that was no longer possible. Instead, we had “virtual support,” which often felt more like trial-and-error than real training. Still, we pushed through.
About a week after go-live, we processed payroll for the first time, and I felt genuinely proud of what we had accomplished. And here’s a little brag: we didn’t lose a single client in the entire transition. Not because of me, or because of promises from the new company, but because of my team and their unwavering connections with clients, families, and DSPs.
Looking back, it only reinforces what I’ve always known: at the end of the day, the systems don’t matter nearly as much as the people. The relationships, the support, the trust we build, that’s what makes the difference.
But here’s where things get messy, the gray area. Balancing support with new systems. Learning new processes while trying not to land on “past due” lists. Finding ways to keep your sanity while everything shifts around you.
And that’s why I’m starting this collective. Because those of us in helping roles need a space to process, to breathe, to remind ourselves of the “why” behind it all.
To be continued… and here’s a little sneak peek: I’m now on the team that helps new companies merge into ours. Talk about coming full circle.