Jessica Gaikowski
Title: Director of Marketing and Communications Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Role:
In this current role, I have the pleasure to work alongside our Communication Strategist, Sam Gill to develop and execute all of Avel’s marketing and communication strategies. By doing so, I have the opportunity to collaborate with all departments and service lines across the organization to develop a strong brand. It is a privilege and honor to support the clinical teams here at Avel eCare who are continuously making an impact on patient’s and clinician’s lives every day.
Favorite thing about your job?
Being able to creatively capture and share the stories of the team at Avel, whether in our newsletter or through a national press release, is one of the many reasons why I come to work each and every day. I may only be the one telling and sharing the stories creatively through different mediums, but I am also the one seeing the joy, tears, and appreciation from those I tell the story to or tell the story about, and that is what makes this job uniquely special.
Interesting story from your time at Avel eCare?
A few stories that come to mind! When COVID hit back in 2020, we set up the command center here at Avel eCare -what a crazy time to start a new position in the telemedicine world. Through the challenges posed by COVID, it was honestly an outstanding experience to see everyone pivot from their current day jobs, to make sure high quality care was continued to be given to our patients. Not one person hesitated to jump in to take calls, pick up shifts, transfer patients, and so much more! Even though a hard time for everyone, our mission continued to shine through this dark time. Another story would have to be when Sam and I set up our new Avel eCare website in one month. Even though a fast and furious project, we are so proud of the collaboration and efforts that were put in to make our new brand highlighted throughout the website! We are excited to continue to develop new creative ways to showcase the transformation Avel eCare is bringing to healthcare!
How does our mission of delivering high quality care when and where it’s needed resonate with you?
Our mission is what pushes me to do my best every day! I feel honored to work at an organization that continues to push the mission at the fore front of every decision. The mission truly demonstrates that we are continuing to remain innovative while trying to find the most effective ways possible to provide the best quality of care to patients and clinicians who would most likely not have this opportunity otherwise.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I really enjoy being active outside with my family. Twice a year we go on a family vacation – which in our house means more steps and burned calories and no pina coladas on the beach! ? We just recently got back from hiking in the Upper Peninsula, MI – which I highly recommend! Other than the great outdoor adventures, I enjoy cheering on my Ohio State Buckeyes, playing sand volleyball, being too competitive with cards and board games, and spending time with family and friends!
Luke Mack
Title: Quality and Research Manager Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Role:
I develop data-driven product insights to inform stakeholders in strategic decision-making for new and existing eCare services. Essentially, whether for it be for product insights, pilot projects, evaluations, or research, my job is to integrate our data with general product knowledge to help inform the decision making and development process.
Favorite thing about your job?
I know it’s not for everyone, but I really enjoy sorting through data and trying to find patterns that help our teams make strategic decisions for different scenarios. I value working collaboratively with key stakeholders to analyze and interpret the data for insights and deliverables.
Interesting story from your time at Avel eCare?
In less than 5 years, eCare has contributed to over 25 peer-reviewed publications (papers, abstracts, etc.) relating to telehealth. This includes scholarly work from six different eCare service lines and over a dozen eCare-affiliated contributing authors committed to evidence-based research that demonstrates the significant values telehealth services.
How does our mission of delivering high quality care when and where it’s needed resonate with you?
I feel the opportunities are endless. The knowledge and quality of eCare services can be impactful across a lifespan and reach a person in moment’s notice anywhere at any time.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to spend time with family, sporting events & exploring the outdoors.
Dee Schlotterback
Title: Innovation Technical Director
Role: Provide technical support for the new and changing environment for the Service Lines. I am the liaison between the clinical team and IT and help research and evaluate equipment and software.
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Favorite thing about your job?
I like the variety of things I work on each day, but the best part is when you see how a service line we put in place at a site brings comfort to the patient and the staff. I fine that the most rewarding in the job.
Interesting story from your time at Avel eCare?
I was here when we started Emergency Service Line. We visited a group in Mississippi to see how they did their emergency services. One of the physicians from the Avera rural facilities went with us and he was explaining to me at the time that he thought it was great for the new physicians out in the rural areas, but it wasn’t going to help him since he had been doing this a long time and it probably wouldn’t be a benefit to him. Once we implemented Emergency services at his facility about a year in, he was on a shift, and he was the only physician in the hospital. He had a heart attack patient, a woman in labor, and a gunshot wound all at the same time. He really appreciated that we could help him as we monitored the heart attack patient and helped with questions for the women in labor, while he attended the gunshot wound. He then said he didn’t realize how beneficial this service was. I think our team at that time realized how important the emergency services were for these rural facilities.
How does our mission of delivering high quality care when and where it’s needed resonate with you?
I grew up in a small town and feel that people need to be able to stay at home in their own communities where their loved ones are around them to get care. There has been a lot of instances in the years that showed me how people want to be cared for in their hometown, so I am glad we are embracing that and making it happen.
Debra Stewart
Role: Pharmacist Location: San Antonio, TX
Favorite thing about your job?
7-on, 7-off schedule. It allows for a good work-life balance.
Interesting story from your time at Avel eCare?
In the very beginning, we had a provider who was opposed to “pharmacy dosing” and having to call them to clarify things was not always pleasant. I’m not sure the reasons behind it, but it just seemed like they didn’t trust. Healthcare, not just pharmacy, is a small world. This provider ended up joining the same bible study group that I attended, and she was able to put a face to a name. After that first bible study group, she asked if we would exchange phone numbers and our relationship blossomed from there. She asked me to post her cell phone number in the pharmacy for the rest of the staff; that way we could call her right away if we had questions or needed anything. What was once an unpleasant encounter turned into a great work relationship for everyone.
How does our mission of delivering high quality care when and where it’s needed resonate with you?
With how crazy things have been in healthcare lately, I am happy to be in the position I am in here at Avel. We are always available for nurses (most have been travel nurses) to answer their questions and help them provide great care for their patients. Even with our growth and the increased volume, I still try to build relationships with the nurses. I have a few that will check in on me if they see my name come across on an order. Little things like that are reminders that what we do behind the screen is important.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to work out; I do Camp Gladiator which is like boot-camp style workouts. I like to be outdoors when I am not at work, so I will take my dogs hiking.
Katie Good, RN
Title: RN, Unit Supervisor Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Favorite thing about your job?
Learning something new everyday in both the leadership & clinical world while still working closely with my coworkers
Interesting story from your time at Avel eCare?
I have assisted in caring for the same patient at the bedside here in Sioux Falls that I later assisted in taking care of in Montana a few months later!
How does our mission of delivering high quality care when and where it’s needed resonate with you?
Coming from a rural hospital that I worked at bedside prior to coming to eCare, I could have only hoped to have had these services available for our staff during that time and only see the benefit to the sites that we service today. Regardless of location, our team is able to provide all avenues of care and truly make a difference in all facilities we are involved in.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Chase my three children and spend time outdoors typically at a softball field or racetrack with my family.
Jackie Genzlinger, MSW, LCSW-PIP
Title: Behavioral Health Unit Supervisor Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Role: Supervise nurses and support coordinators in the BH service line. Support continuous development of the services, be highly involved in implementing new customers, and engage in service recovery and process improvement.
Favorite thing about your job?
Providing guidance, trust, and compassion to my colleagues and individuals we serve. I enjoy helping improve mental health and being a part of a collaborative and compassionate team to best treat our patients. Also, I am grateful in having a role in innovating our BH program.
Interesting story from your time at Avel eCare?
From being a therapist the first 2.5 years at eCare, I helped a 14-year-old stay out of JDC while having suicidal thoughts with plan and intent. After 8 months of providing therapy with them, they no longer have suicidal thoughts, is thriving in their school, and has hope for the future.
How does our mission of delivering high quality care when and where it’s needed resonate with you?
I grew up in a small town and we didn’t have a lot of mental health/BH services. My friends and loved ones didn’t have the high-quality care that eCare provides. I see how impactful eCare has on rural communities and serving those individuals with limited resources. For these reasons, I continue to be motivated to create impact, innovate, utilize our missions, and give compassion in my everyday work life.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Hang out with my family (husband and two kids), be outdoors, go on walks and bike rides, and relax with a good tv series.
Sara Frantz
Role: Licensing and Credentialing Specialist Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Favorite thing about your job?
Constant change – I am always up for a challenge or learning something new!
Interesting story from your time at Avel eCare?
When I first started at eCare the IMLC (Interstate Medical License Compact) was just getting its first states to join. At that time to license a physician in every state we provided care, we were always required to submit a separate application to each state, requesting verifications to each, background checks to each, and fulfilling other requirements to each on a state-to-state basis. Today there are only 3 states our physicians work in that are not active in the IMLC. In most cases, we can utilize the IMLC to obtain licensure for new physicians. Looking back from then to now it has been amazing to follow as so many states have joined.
How does our mission of delivering high quality care when and where it’s needed resonate with you?
I feel that our mission is true to what eCare has always been about, reaching patients and being there for sites that need us. The work I do daily involves verifying our clinician’s and physician’s qualifications and working one on one with them, I am confident the staff we have deliver high quality care when and where it’s needed.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy time at home with my husband and kids, family vacations, anything crafty and spending time outside in the summer.
Joe Adams
Title: Network Engineer II
Joe Adams has been with Avel for more than three decades, spending the last 28 years working to support the videoconferencing / telemedicine service lines. Here are some of Joe’s thoughts and reflections regarding his time here at Avel:
“Since the beginnings of our involvement in telemedicine in 1993, I have sure seen a lot of changes. Initially, we started off with bulky video systems that connected up to tube TVs for video conferencing. This was an extremely manual and cost-prohibitive process, and it has been fascinating to watch the process and technology evolve to now be able to fit inside of a shoe box. I can confidently say, from these basic beginnings, we could not have made it this far without the support, dedication, experience, and talents of everyone involved in what has become Avel eCare. I am proud to be a part of this team and look forward to continued growth and meeting the challenges that change brings to our industry. When I am not at Avel I enjoy spending time with family, traveling to new destinations, and unwinding outdoors.”