Michael, can you share your journey to becoming the CEO of ABRA Health Group and highlight some pivotal moments that shaped your path to this role? My journey to becoming the CEO of Abra Health Group began with a personal passion for orthodontics, sparked by my experience wearing braces. Following this interest, I pursued a career in dentistry and met my wife during dental school, where she specialized in pediatric dentistry. Together, we envisioned creating a pediatric orthodontic practice, driven by our shared desire to serve underserved communities. This vision led us to establish our first location in Newark, New Jersey. As our practice grew, we found that parents of our young patients were also seeking our services, prompting us to expand our focus to include adults. This evolution resulted in our current status as a large, multilocation practice. Our unique model and the needs of the communities we serve propelled our rapid growth, enabling us to open additional locations and broaden our impact. What is the core vision behind ABRA Health Group, and how do you work to realize this vision in your daily operations? Can you share how you help underserved communities? Our primary vision is to become a leading provider of integrated medical and dental care for underserved communities in the areas we serve. We focus our dental and medical practices on serving patients from low income demographics. We are proud to accept most, if not all, State Insurance (Medicaid) plans available in our communities. To better serve working families, our practices offer extended hours, including evenings and Saturdays. Our large, state-of-the-art facilities often accommodate same-day or next-day appointments. For those without insurance, we provide financial assistance and offer no credit/low credit financial plans. For instance, we have a no credit check, zero-interest option with low down payments and affordable monthly installments for braces. Everything we do is centered around the patient’s needs and ensuring they receive the care they require. The healthcare sector is constantly evolving. How does ABRA Health Group adapt and respond to new developments and challenges in the industry? We maintain a highly optimistic view of the industry despite its inherent challenges. The healthcare sector presents a multitude of obstacles such as staffing shortages, evolving regulations, and shifting legal frameworks, among others. However, we have discovered that tackling these challenges head-on, collaborating with partners in our field, advocating for our patients, and investing in our staff have yielded tremendous results. Remaining proactive, we continuously seek out top talent to join our team. Our emphasis on innovation enables us to enhance our processes. Despite experiencing significant growth in recent years, we have maintained our agility, allowing us to swiftly adapt to industry changes. How has ABRA Health Group integrated technology to enhance patient care and operational efficiency, and are there any recent technological advancements that you find particularly exciting? We are dedicated to continuously enhancing our patient care through advanced technology and cost-effective solutions. For instance, we have recently integrated AI software to enhance diagnostic accuracy, enable early detection, and increase the likelihood of services being covered by our patients’ insurance plans. Additionally, we have implemented patient engagement software to improve communication with our patients and ensure they adhere to recommended preventative dental care routines. This commitment to leveraging innovative tools allows us to provide superior care while minimizing costs for our patients. USA AWARDS 2024 - CEO TODAY - - 73 -
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