In her role as Practice Administrator, Kim Gulling is responsible for overseeing every aspect of Great Basin Orthopaedics (GBO) — the doctors, physical therapy, administration, billing and operations.
Gulling joined GBO in 2015, after serving in a similar role for another medical practice in Reno. She says she likes the camaraderie of the GBO staff and the fact that everyone on the team is invested in doing right by the patients.
“It’s as if they all have their own ownership in the practice,” she says. “They really care about what happens with both their patients and the group as a whole.”
Gulling thinks that culture starts at the top. “Our doctors are all genuine, approachable and sincere,” she says. “They take the time to get to know the members of the staff and connect with them.”
Staff members are also encouraged to share their ideas and veer outside their lanes when it makes sense.
“If someone from the phone room gets feedback that a medical assistant needs, they’re not afraid to go over and share it,” Gulling says. “And the medical assistants appreciate the input.”
She says this is one reason they don’t get hung up on titles, “We’re all support staff for the doctors,” she says.
Mission-driven
GBO used to have two offices and Gulling thinks bringing everyone together under one roof has also helped with this one team approach. She oversaw the construction and the move to the practice’s current location on Double Diamond Parkway when they took ownership in December of 2016.
Once everyone was in one place, they knew it was time to decide on a mission and values — something that would drive every decision they made. In order to ensure buy-in, a committee that included every department in the company was formed to create the mission.
GBO Mission Statement
We at GBO pride ourselves in providing exceptional patient-centered care by listening to our patients and educating them about their treatment.
GBO is committed to the health and well-being of our community through our service, dedication and involvement. We value your family and ours!
Now that the mission is almost five years old, Gulling says they still revisit it to ensure that it’s still relevant and that the team is living it.
Making an impact
Creating this kind of company culture is what drives Gulling.
“When I got into healthcare, it was because I was looking for something that brought together my leadership skills and would impact and bring value to people,” Gulling says. “In this job, I get to do that, whether it’s motivating a staff member or helping a patient get the care they need.”
While managing human resources is a significant part of her job, Gulling’s responsibilities require her to always be learning new things, from construction to science and legislation. In addition to bringing everyone under one roof, Gulling’s team started a physical therapy department and brought in an MRI machine on site so patients can get more of the care they need in the same location.
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The value of relaxation
When she’s not expanding her knowledge base, Gulling spends time with her husband and young adult children hiking or snowshoeing. She also enjoys reading and Netflix; and she picked up a paintbrush to pass her COVID time.