We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carolina Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carolina below.

Hi Carolina, thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Both my partner and I have dedicated our nurse practitioner careers to working in community healthcare centers and free clinics, with a special focus on serving the Hispanic community. In our experience at insurance-based clinics, we often had to see a high volume of patients, sometimes up to 26 per day, with very short 5-10 minute visits per patient. This led to dissatisfaction among patients who felt rushed, and it made it nearly impossible to provide comprehensive care to a marginalized community that deserved better.

To address these issues, I transitioned to working at a charitable free clinic specifically catering to the working uninsured Hispanic demographic. Here, I could spend more time with each patient, often up to an hour, which allowed me to build relationships and provide better education on their conditions. However, one drawback was the income qualifications required to access these services. Once patients exceeded the income threshold, they no longer qualified for care, leaving them to seek alternative, often unaffordable, healthcare options.

Recognizing this gap in healthcare accessibility, my partner and I took action by offering direct primary care services. Our patients pay a low monthly fee of $50-$70, which covers unlimited visits, annual physicals, urgent same-day appointments, chronic illness management, and various basic in-office procedures. Since patients pay us directly, we are not constrained by the need to see a high volume of patients for insurance reimbursement, allowing us to focus on providing quality care and building meaningful relationships with our patients.

Additionally, our clinic operates with increased accessibility, as patients have direct access to our personal cellphones for any post-visit questions or clarifications. This personalized approach harkens back to “old school” medicine, where patients are treated as individuals rather than mere numbers or diagnoses.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a first-generation Colombian American, born in New York City and raised by parents who immigrated to the United States in search of a better life and opportunities for their children. Growing up in Florida, I vividly recall accompanying my mother to her doctor’s appointments and having to act as her translator. I witnessed her embarrassment and humiliation at not being able to communicate effectively, and as a 9-year-old, I struggled to navigate the complex healthcare system on behalf of my parents. Our lack of insurance made seeking medical care a daunting and often unaffordable prospect.

From a young age, I felt a strong calling to pursue a career in healthcare. I was fascinated by the human body and as I learned more about it, I became increasingly passionate about nursing. However, my experiences at the bedside in the hospital left me feeling unfulfilled, as I rarely had the opportunity to see my patients after they were discharged. I also observed patients returning to the hospital repeatedly due to a lack of access to primary care in the outpatient setting.

These experiences motivated me to become a nurse practitioner, as I saw it as a way to provide comprehensive primary care, follow-up services, and ultimately prevent unnecessary hospitalizations. This shift in my career path allowed me to address the systemic barriers that many individuals face in accessing quality healthcare, particularly within underserved communities.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

My partner and I first crossed paths while studying to become Nurse Practitioners. Our initial encounter took place during clinicals at a free clinic, where we discovered striking similarities in our life stories, backgrounds, upbringing, future aspirations, and even personality traits. Despite pursuing our individual paths, we stayed connected over the years, witnessing each other’s families grow and providing unwavering support for one another.

In 2021, my partner approached me with the idea of opening a cash-only clinic, envisioning a place where we could serve our community with dedicated time and make a meaningful impact. Without hesitation, I jumped on board within hours of our conversation. Our families came together to support this endeavor, with my partner’s wife Maria stepping in as our office manager, and my husband Don taking on the role of operations manager. We often playfully refer to ourselves as the dream team, but deep down, we believe that our collaboration was orchestrated by a higher power, as if we were being prepared for these roles for many years.

It has been a beautiful journey working together, fueled by our shared passion for making a positive difference in the lives of those we serve.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Both my partner and I utilized our personal savings to fund the startup costs of the clinic. However, what truly set us apart was a unique strategy we implemented before officially opening our doors. We organized two open houses, leveraging social media and our extensive network to create a buzz within the Hispanic community about our upcoming clinic. This proactive approach allowed us to generate excitement and anticipation, leading to a significant number of pre-enrolled patients.

By the time our doors officially opened on Feb 1st, we were astounded to find that we already had 150 paying patients lined up. This immediate success was a testament to the trust and loyalty we had built over the past 8 years while working in this community. Our patients’ overwhelming support from day one not only validated our mission but also ensured that we were profitable right from the start.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.VitalAMC.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vitaladvancedmedicalcenter/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=vital%20advanced%20medical%20center
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/93451771/admin/feed/posts/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiR5qMUiBlEgG9PZu8Z2v7Q

Image Credits
Our staff took these pictures not professional photographers