HME Excellence Awards: Active Healthcare stays true to vision

RALEIGH, N.C. - Twenty-four years ago, Lisa and Steve Feierstein started Active Healthcare with this vision in mind: An HME provider with a distinct clinical and educational focus that provides superior customer service.

Nearly a quarter century later, that vision is still intact and propelling the company to take third place in this year's HME Excellence Awards.

“It is amazing that we could take our vision and desires and turn them into a successful company that has treated thousands of patients and supported many families,” says Lisa Feierstein, co-founder and president. “We have stayed true to that vision over the years.”

Having worked at Fortune 500 companies before starting Active Healthcare, Steve Feierstein, co-founder and CEO, says he wanted to create a company that could withstand the challenges of changing government regulations, the demanding nature of providing healthcare services and the pitfalls of running a small, independent enterprise.

“You have to be flexible and adaptable to your environment,” he says. “You can sink in the heavy waves or grab onto the nearest floating object. If you get caught in a rip current, you need to change direction.”

Active Healthcare's primary markets are sleep, respiratory and diabetes care. There are currently 30 employees at the company who Lisa describes as “an amazing group of dedicated folks who live our mission statement every day—this award is for them.”

Creativity and innovation are the keys to remaining vibrant in the marketplace and Active Healthcare has done that, the Feiersteins say, by creating new partnerships and increasing efficiencies.

“It's a matter of keeping an eye on everything,” Steve Feierstein says. “I come from an engineering and financial management background, so we focus on keeping track of product costs, inventory levels and labor, and utilizing technology to maintain our productivity.”

Along with setting a high standard for customer service, the Feiersteins say the company also places a high premium on giving back to the community. Among their favorite non-profit groups are the Wake County Asthma Coalition and Urban Ministries of Wake County.

Steve Feierstein likens the company's approach to community service to its customer service standard by saying excellence in both “is about being dependable and following through on what you say you're going to do.”