We were lucky to catch up with Stacy Lathrop recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stacy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

In September of 2021, to make dependable Covid testing more available to our community, my husband and I opened a Covid testing location. Under a small tent, we administered more than 20,000 Covid tests in a drive-thru setting. Our patients were so thankful for the convenience and appreciated that they could receive results in less than 15 minutes. We became known for our fast, friendly and focused medical attention. The patients enjoyed the experience so much, that they began asking if we could test for other things such as strep, flu, RSV or check for an ear infection.

My husband, an experienced Emergency Medicine physician, and I began thinking. “What if we created a drive-thru medical practice where patients could drive-up at their conveinice and see a physician at the car door?” “Would patients be open to this new concept; would they see value in not having to go into the building; could we help curb the spread of illnesses by allowing people to remain in their car when being treated vs. sitting in waiting rooms with others that were sick?”

We searched across the country for a company providing drive-thru urgent care services, and was unable to find anyone doing so. Although it had never been done before, we felt strongly that if we could get the process right and placed the patient’s needs at the center of all of our decisions, we could deliver a higher level of patient satisfaction, provide exceptional medical care, in a fraction of the time a traditional visit takes. Most importantly, we could make it easier and safer for people to receive medical care.

We interviewed our patients about what they wanted in thier ideal medical experience. With their feedback, we developed a new medical model that is revolutionizing healthcare. The model is 100% patient-centered, providing convenient, thorough and fast medical care, with a personal touch. The patients have rewarded us with all 5-star reviews.

There have been challenges and obstacles at every turn, but our dedication to improving healthcare for all has propelled us forward. We have been blessed with an incredible medical team and a gracious community that has supported this concept.

In the past 9 months we have treated more than 4,000 patients from the car. To meet patient demand, we will be expanding into another location in October of 2023. We have 3 other locations planned for 2024.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

The most important thing to us is delivering medical care with heart. Although we feel priveldged to have developed the first drive-thru urgent care in the country, we are most proud of our patients’ response to the care that they receive. Our patients rave about our genuine care for each person we treat. Anyone can learn to provide medical care in the car, but what is truly special about us is our heart.

We have many 3-generation families that now see us as a replacement for primary care/pediatric visits. Below are quotes from one of those families; we treat all three generations of family members.

Julie Minton, 36:

The level of care and attention we receive at every visit is truly unmatched. The entire staff is so kind and you can tell that they strive to make it an enjoyable experience for all. They are always so wonderful with our kids, who call the staff “our doctor friends.” It’s the little details that they provide, like giving the children a toy to take home, that really makes SmartMED stand out.

It doesn’t get more quick and convenient than this, and that is the best gift to parents with small children!

Candace Barry, 72 (her mother):

SmartMED is truly amazing in the level of care that they give and the kindness and compassion that they show during every visit. What a gift to be able to show up without an appointment, stay in your car to be seen and have the kindest people give you the best treatment possible!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

We are very grateful to the women in our community; they are fully responsible for our growth. As a startup with a limited marketing budget, we have been dependent on word of mouth and social media to generate awareness.

Although all ages of patients find SmartMED Drive-Thru’s medical model convenient, parents of young children in particular have come to depend on the carside care that we provide. Mothers have been so thankful that they can quickly get their children diagnosed and treated without having to leave the car. The Moms have shared their positive experiences with with one another on Facebook and Instagram. It is this medium that we have found to be most valuable.

We believe in giving back to the community. We have sponosored many local school events, charities, city organizations, neighborhood swim teams, etc. We are committed to supporting the community that has been so supportive of us.

Any advice for managing a team?

High customer satisfaction is not possible without high employee satisfaction. When your employees are happy and feel motivated to do their role well, that is felt by the customer.

Our business is committed to keeping employee morale high. I believe that one way you do this is by making employees feel heard. We foster a team environment where everyone has a voice and all opinions are respected. When making business decisions, especially involving process, we ask the team’s advice. In a startup environment, it’s all hands on deck. Employees are more likely to stretch when they feel included.

When hiring, one of the most important qualities that we seek is a positive attitude. A positive attitude is critical to maintaining high morale.

And finally, support. Employees need to feel supported in both their professional and personal life. We seek to help our employees maintain a strong work life balance by providing flexible schedules that allow them to be present for their families.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.SmartMEDDriveThru.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartmeddrivethru/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmartMEDDriveThru
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smartmed-drive-thru-medical-care/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SmartMEDDriveThru