Ask The Expert: Interview with Sollis Health

Join us this month as we ask Manager of Care Coordination at Sollis Health: Stefanie Karangelen, PA-C in a one-on-one discussion about her journey in the healthcare industry and what impact has Sollis Health had on the healthcare industry.

LifeWorx: Tell us about your journey into the field of healthcare. How did you end up working at Sollis?  

Stefanie: I was the Chief Physician Assistant of Surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York where I led a team of 10 PAs across a variety of surgical subspecialties including general surgery, vascular surgery, and gynecology. Three years into my career as a surgical PA, COVID happened, and I was reassigned to the ICU. While it was an incredibly challenging time, I learned critical care medicine, including how to manage patients on ventilators. One of the unfortunate parts about this era of medicine was the only communication method we had with loved ones was a quick phone or video call. This provided limited emotional support, posed communication challenges, made difficult decisions harder, and encountered technology barriers.

I’ve always had a strong inclination toward improving the healthcare experience for patients and leveraging technology to do so. This led me to the Knight Foundation Fellowship in Healthcare Technology Innovation. This fellowship experience underscored my belief in the potential of rapid change in the healthcare sector with modern technology. How could we reduce provider burnout and improve communication methods between the provider, patient, and family? This fellowship was set out to solve these problems in medicine.

When I learned about Sollis Health, a healthcare company focused on emergency medicine, prioritizing the patient experience, I was naturally drawn to its mission. I saw a unique opportunity to combine my clinical expertise at a company that valued service, care coordination, and technology. As the Manager of Care Coordination, I now have the privilege of leading a team dedicated to ensuring a seamless patient journey.

LifeWorx: Describe your roles and responsibilities in supporting high-quality, personalized care.  

Stefanie: As the Manager of Care Coordination at Sollis Health, I oversee aftercare, care navigation, and patient advocacy. Our aftercare team, which is comprised of advanced care providers (PAs/NPs) are following up daily with our patients to make sure they are recovering well after each visit. This team is also ensuring that the entire care team is up to date by sending medical records and communicating with the patient’s PCP. This high-touch communication strategy brings comfort to our members knowing that a provider is just a text or phone call away for any questions or concerns about their care. Our care navigation team is incredibly unique. When our patients need to establish care with a primary care provider or see a specialist, our care navigators will walk through provider options and even coordinate appointments. They also manage communication between healthcare providers and ensure medical records are safely distributed prior to any appointment. Through this level care and attention, we minimize medical errors and redundancies and develop relationships based on trust and mutual decision-making.

LifeWorx: Sollis provides round-the-clock, personalized health care. How is this used in helping the elderly population receive the care they need?  

Stefanie: Our 24/7 healthcare approach at Sollis is particularly beneficial for our elderly members. We provide ongoing monitoring and immediate attention whenever necessary, ensuring the elderly receive the highest level of care. Our seasoned ER doctors and staff can manage care via telemedicine, in our clinic or even in the comfort of the patient’s home. At our clinics, we are fortunate to have an in-house lab, medications like IV antibiotics, diagnostics like EKG and x-ray, and at our flagship centers we have advanced imaging, like CT and MRI. With the help of these resources and dedicated care coordination, we can proactively manage our member’s healthcare needs and address concerns in real time. This reduces the potential for complications and hospital readmissions for our elderly patients. Our primary goal is to prevent an unnecessary ER visit.

LifeWorx: What motivates you in your role at Sollis?  

Stefanie: What motivates me the most is the opportunity to make a real impact in the lives of our patients. Today, people are faced with many healthcare challenges arising from the lack of follow-up, delays in treatment, financial burdens, and lack of preparedness to deal with adverse health events. I am proud of the work our team does to help improve patient outcomes and experiences. We get patients the right care in the right time frame. Ultimately, we give our members back time, the most precious resource we have.

LifeWorx: What aspect of your role do you enjoy most at Sollis?  

Stefanie: The aspect of my role that I enjoy the most at Sollis is working closely with our amazing team and being an integral part of our patient care team. Our doctors come from top hospitals such as the Cleveland Clinic, Yale, and Cedars Sinai. It is empowering and energizing to work alongside colleagues who seek to constantly improve and innovate the delivery of care. We develop strong relationships with our patients, and it is a privilege to provide care regardless of whether it’s a significant procedure or a lab draw. We are a critical component of the healthcare journey of our patients, ensuring they feel heard, respected, and cared for. This is a deeply rewarding experience.

Stay tuned for our article next month as part of our Ask the Expert series!