When creating Emediate Cure, a new franchisor disrupting the urgent care industry, founders April Kubinski and Amy Vertin went at it alone – learning every aspect of business operations, marketing and support with little assistance. But they knew that if they wanted to scale, much like future franchise owners of the brand, they had to figure out the labor market – and not just one that aligned with other urgent cares, rather one that drove longevity and mutual respect.
Enter Jen Mele, who joined in 2018 as a clinical manager, and Kate Hund, who joined as a secretary in 2019 before advancing to billing manager in 2021, both critical elements of the brand’s support model going forward.
Both easily related to Kubinski and Vertin, having worked in other parts of the industry prior to joining the brand, and understanding how the other side treated employees and patients.
Hund, who worked at CVS before transitioning to her career at Emediate Cure, says her transition to the smaller, family-owned company was a refreshing change of pace.
“I love being able to personally interact with our owners,” Hund said. “We can see how much Amy and April appreciate and care for the work that their employees provide. We all have a love of our community and live in the community we work in, so also being able to take care of the people around us on a day-to-day basis is rewarding.”
Mele, a nurse practitioner, graduated in 2014 and held various positions in the industry before joining Emediate Cure, starting in primary care before moving to insurance adjusting then working in a gynecology office. When she made her move to Emediate Cure, she immediately felt more connected to her Illinois community.
“I love working for a nurse-practitioner-owned clinic,” said Mele. “It’s a huge accomplishment that Amy and April have opened this personal, accessible center that people know they can rely on. It really is a family environment. Although we see a large number of patients and can compete with the big corporations in our area, we still recognize and know our patients and have that family-doctor feel.”
Hund and Mele both say their roles require that they get to know the needs of patients and their communities at large. Hund oversees the front staff of the building and ensures that all protocols are followed, as well as doing audits for insurance, conducting staff reviews and guaranteeing that patients get checked in with ease. Mele is responsible for the clinics’ inventory, interviewing new staff, addressing reviews and meetings as needed, holding staff meetings and training, assisting with day-to-day operations of the clinic, and most importantly, she says, “representing what Emediate Cure stands for to potential and existing clients.”
Mele says their passion for the brand, like that of all their colleagues at Emediate Cure, is largely a reflection of the passion they see from Kubinski and Vertin.
“They were the only two nurse practitioners working in one clinic open seven days a week when they first started,” said Mele. “They did that for a good six to nine months while building up their clientele and their patient population before they were even able to add on additional staff to assist them.”
“I think that it’s also awesome that they built this brand from the ground up,” said Hund. “They worked in everyone’s shoes and know how to hire the roles they need as they grow because of that.”
The estimated initial investment to purchase an Emediate Cure Quick Care franchise ranges from $370,000 to $581,800, including a $35,000 franchise fee.
About Emediate Cure
Since 2015, Emediate Cure Quick Care has offered a more personal alternative to corporate-owned practices with its two clinics in the Joliet and Shorewood suburbs of Chicago. By focusing on community and family (both locations are locally and family-owned), Emediate Cure has become a go-to healthcare resource for patients experiencing non-life-threatening illnesses in the area. For more information, visit https://www.emediatecure.com/.
