Midwest Express Clinic treats staff well so they treat patients well

CHICAGO, Feb. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- There's a simple management philosophy at Midwest Express Clinic: A staff that feels appreciated will do a better job providing care for patients.

"We have this small-company, family atmosphere. You help each other out. You respect each other. We're all working toward the same goal. We want our patients to feel like they're family, as well," Director of Clinical Operations Kaitlyn Steinberg said. "It's big for us to make them feel comfortable with us, comfortable telling us things or asking us anything and not feeling embarrassed or that they're asking the wrong questions."

That's why, "We really invest in our staff and that's not just in bonuses and continued education. There's a large emphasis on making everyone feel like a large family and appreciated," Director of Marketing Muhammad Tayyab said. "That definitely transfers to how we treat our patients. If we treat our staff like they're kings and queens, it spills over into how well they do their jobs. And I think that shows."

MEC has 16 locations throughout Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland, including 5 new locations in Wicker Park, West Loop, Roscoe Village, Lakeview and River North in Chicago. A clinic in Merrillville will be opening soon.

Walk-ins are welcome and virtual check in is available at midwestexpressclinic.com. Coupons are available online, as well.

Midwest Express Clinic treats issues that are urgent, but not emergent, Tayyab said. That includes things like colds and flus, cuts and scrapes, burns and broken bones, bug bites and rashes. MEC can also handle women's care, family care, perform school and employment physicals, do drug testing and lab screening and x-rays.

Tayyab said word has gotten out in the medical community about the culture at Midwest Express Clinic and the company is getting more applications than ever.

"Our company is all about a work/personal life balance. They definitely respect the fact that most of us have families," MEC Director of Clinical Documentation Nicole Hawkins said. "I always want to go to work. I always look forward to the days that I'm going to work. It's a good atmosphere."

When hiring, MEC looks for nurse practitioners with master's degrees and emergency room and/or intensive care experience. NPs have more education, experience and certification than registered nurses.

"We look for patient-focused personnel with a good education who have good time management and know what it takes to service a patient so they'll walk out satisfied and properly treated," Tayyab said.

MEC has physicians on staff, as well, but they feel like there's a benefit to employing so many NPs.  "Physicians are taught more of a medical model whereas nurses, we're taught more of a holistic model," Steinberg said. "We treat the whole patient, not just the medical issue. We treat mental, physical and emotional. People always say 'You guys listen. You take the time when other places push you in and out.'"

SOURCE Midwest Express Clinic