by Crystal Warner
Effective communication is an essential element in the progress of any type of business. In the complex environment of a hospital effective communication is vital. Ron Gregg, owner and CEO of Patient Focus Systems has created Patient Flow Software, a sophisticated software system with the capability to automate and track specific hospital functions. Patient Flow Software is used in some of the most prominent health care facilities in the U.S., including The Mayo Clinic, Massachusetts General, University of Toledo Medical Center and Spectrum Hospital.
Mary-Cooper Gregg, the company’s COO, and Ron’s wife, has contributed greatly to the success of their business. “Mary’s ability to negotiate contracts and to manage client relations,” Ron says, “has been significant in the advancement of our services.”
When Ron met Mary in 1975, he was an established attorney and had been working with a firm out of Detroit for several years. He completed his undergrad at U of M and earned his law degree from Harvard. He practiced business corporate law for more than 15 years. Mary, born and raised in Madison Heights, moved to Ann Arbor in 1972. She was an office manager for a law firm when she and Ron met and they married in 1982. During this time the potential of emerging technology was just being realized. Soon after, they accepted a business proposal which would become the unchartered frontier of their destiny.
In the early days of business ownership, Ron and Mary operated a company which leased computer equipment to large corporations, hospitals and laboratories. Over the next decade, they became increasingly involved in the marketing of voice mail systems and then the development of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Systems. “When we first started working with computer-based voice systems,” Mary explains, “the concept of voice mail didn’t even exist.” They were also associated with a company that was actively working on the development of what’s now called collaborative software. This software facilitates corporate conferencing and had the potential to revolutionize collaborative document development. A few years later the market for their product collapsed as a result of the invention of the FAX machine. “As pioneers in any industry,” Ron smiles, “you have to expect some arrows in the back.”
In 1989, aboard a return flight from Chicago, Ron met a businessman who was developing software designed to manage in hospital patient movement and bed cleaning activities and needed an IVR component to their software. D/V Technologies (Ron’s other company) developed that application. A few years later, the owners of that software decided to sell it. Ron and Mary had another opportunity to reinvent their company and to invest in the evolution of technology. The outcome of their most recent investment is Patient Focus Systems, which develops and markets Patient Flow Software. Patient Flow applications coordinate and automate hospital procedures such as the admissions process to transport and discharge patients. The software has the capability to increase revenue and productivity as well as to decrease operating costs for their clients.
Staying ahead of the cutting edge of technology has been the greatest challenge of business ownership for Ron and Mary. “There are times,” Ron says, “when a product has to be adapted to meet current demands of the market.” Patient Focus Systems is currently in the process of modifying the Patient Flow Software to include the capability to customize applications to meet the specific needs of their clients. “Our company is still small enough that it is relatively easier for us, (rather than for large corporations), to offer customized computer software to our clients.”
If you found this story interesting, informative or inspiring, please let Ron and Mary know! For more information on Patient Focus Systems: www.patientfocussystems.com, rgregg@patientfocussystems.com or call 800- 787-3477.
Patient Focus Systems
Ron and Mary Gregg
Phone: 800-787-3477
Email: rgregg@patientfocussystems.com
Website: www.patientfocussystems.com