Story of Welbe Health

The Story of WelbeHealth

WE BEGAN AS A VISION WelbeHealth began with a vision of a world who serves the most vulnerable elderly members of our society – our grandmothers and grandfathers who once were someone’s precious child – now gems of wisdom and experience who deserve to be honored for all of their remaining days. In 2015 colleagues Si France, Vaneesh Soni, and Matt Patterson, physicians by trade, gathered to take this vision and turn it into a reality. Armed with complementary leadership profiles, these entrepreneurial physicians were determined to create a values-based company that was deep rooted in mission and culture where seniors can receive dynamic care without the need for nursing homes. To learn more about PACE: https://www.npaonline.org/ https://careresources.org/what-is-pace/

1 - https://www.isc.hbs.edu/health-care/value-based-health-care/Pages/default.aspx

CREATING WHO WE WANT TO BE

Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television series that aired on ABC from September 23, 1969, to July 29, 1976. This show was the inspiration for WelbeHealth's name. In 2015 the company WelbeHealth was born but it still lacked a business model. What remained clear was the commitment to be a company of mission and values serving vulnerable seniors. The mission was clear: We exist to serve the most vulnerable seniors with better quality and compassion in a value-based model. Over the course of time the founders wrestled with what the appropriate values should be for WelbeHealth. Thoughtful conversation, reflection, and a lot of sticky notes led them to “Courage to Love, Shared Intention, and Pioneering Spirit.” “Courage to Love: We prioritize human connection and value every precious life we touch. “Pioneering Spirit: We relentlessly pursue resourceful solutions to support participant health and independence. “Shared Intention: We work as a team with a common purpose. We start by listening, promote and contribute diverse perspectives and support team decisions.” Meanwhile, in May of 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services lifted the previously established restrictions on for-profit PACE (Program for All Inclusive Care for the Elderly) program. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. WelbeHealth, a company craving value-based care, focused on mission and vision and a heart for our vulnerable seniors, had found a path in becoming a PACE provider. With the help of Elizabeth Carty, a PACE expert, the work began.



Elizabeth Carty alongside other founders of WelbeHealth.

WE OPEN OUR FIRST CENTER https://sway.office.com/FnyqJVZsQ03cJy2r#content=WBLD3MYjD0CFbd WelbeHealth’s approach to selecting the locations of where to build PACE centers was based on national analysis of unmet need for vulnerable seniors, conversations with the Department of Health Care Services, and geographical regions where a PACE program did not exist. Stockton, Pasadena and Long Beach were among the top communities with an unmet need for a PACE program. The two years following involved finding the perfect first location. With research and discussion with state partners, the decision was made to choose Stockton, California. WelbeHealth partnered with Sacramento-based Sutter Health for this first endeavor and was off and running.

A location was secured and groundbreaking began. The months that followed gave early team members a chance to live the value Pioneering Spirit. Licensing challenges, long nights sleeping in the half-built building, and putting final details together were met head on with determination to live the mission and values of WelbeHealth. In January of 2019, WelbeHealth opened its doors in Stockton to Participants. Welcome to WelbeHealth in Stockton! https://sway.office.com/FnyqJVZsQ03cJy2r#content=mXsVAR9kd04gWG 2 - The center contains a medical clinic, rehabilitation gym, recreation space and a separate space for dementia care. WE GROW

WelbeHealth’s mission was not to be limited to one city. Although the application process and approval to operate a PACE program historically ranges 18-24 months, WelbeHealth submitted 3 additional applications between October 2017 and July 2018 and plans for additional locations were underway. Within 6 months of Stockton’s opening, we began operations in Pasadena. Having a different feel than Stockton yet just as determined to fulfill our mission, the Pasadena site spans 2 stories of a medical office building This is the first PACE program to be co-located in medical office building. Doors opened to 3 Participants on July 1, 2019. Long Beach was approved to open on January 1, 2020. Given the pandemic and our relentless commitment to serve seniors, we created the HomePACE model with the deployment of our WelbeHealth Links to our Stockton and Pasadena participants. Our leadership made an intentional commitment not to open Long Beach until all aspects of our HomePACE model were in place. Proudly, Long Beach was launched in June 2020 with a virtual ribbon cutting ceremony celebration. Welcome to WelbeHealth in Pasadena! https://sway.office.com/FnyqJVZsQ03cJy2r#content=R2Fr8fW5ipMjHi

Welcome to WelbeHealth in Long Beach! https://sway.office.com/FnyqJVZsQ03cJy2r#content=iQCeihI0AHEsCj 3 - At WelbeHealth’s PACE center in Long Beach, seniors take art classes, join exercise groups and attend special events. Thereafter came a site in Fresno (January 2021) and most recently an Alternative Care Setting (ACS) in Modesto, June 2022. Modesto also was the site of our first Mobile clinic, providing routine and urgent medical care to participants while reducing their potential coronavirus exposure. Our California expansion was the original vision for WelbeHealth. However, the decision to expand beyond the California borders was a debate – should we build the capabilities to serve more vulnerable seniors across the US? Or should we stay focused on providing excellent services in a state that has demonstrated commitment to PACE for nearly 50 years. In late 2021, we decided to expand, creating the need for a scalable and replicable operating model that ensured the highest quality outcomes.

Welcome to WelbeHealth in Fresno! https://sway.office.com/FnyqJVZsQ03cJy2r#content=p7vrCfGoeIayfC Rapid growth demanded a strong team to provide service to our seniors and the challenges of the pandemic increased our resolve. Our leadership made the decision to hire and train staff six months prior to a corresponding increase in participant enrollment. This rigorous process (called “caring capacity”) created operational readiness to expand care delivery while maintaining clinical quality. WelbeHealth developed a scalable PACE infrastructure, including a playbook for the development of new PACE programs and central functions to support each PACE market. The central team provides seamless administrative infrastructure support to ensure the PACE teams’ focus on participant care is free of administrative distractions. WelbeHealth has invested in numerous dedicated PACE-specific central resources, with over 320 central FTEs. In September of 2022, with 4 markets operational, one ACS, and 1600 Participants, WelbeHealth welcomed our 1000th employee.

4 - Forbes named WelbeHealth as one of the best startup employers in 2022. https://www.forbes.com/lists/americas-best-startup-employers/?utm_source=AP&sh=3e8421642ad7

HARNESSING OUR PIONEERING SPIRIT Just as WelbeHealth was anticipating the opening ceremony of our Long Beach location in the Spring of 2020, the world was hit with the COVID 19 Pandemic. As the numbers began to rapidly increase, WelbeHealth leaders responded decisively. Two weeks prior to the State of California announcing a lockdown, our leaders launched an Incident Command System (ICS) to protect participants and staff. We closed centers, limited in-person contact, and within four days, shifted to a telehealth model. As COVID-19 cases rose across the country — and in particular within nursing home populations — WelbeHealth did not have a single COVID-19 death during the first 8 months of the pandemic. In fact, WelbeHealth and the PACE community overall performed better than nursing homes. “Our team's approach to this crisis was a simple three-point checklist with our founding Core Value - Courage to Love- as its guide: to protect our participants' safety and well-being, to protect our team's safety, well-being, and job security, and to protect the organization with a cash reserve to weather the storm and protect our culture,” said WelbeHealth CEO Dr. Si France. “Courage to love is about seeing the other person through the eyes of their loved ones\" - knowing that they would want the best care possible for that loved one. And that starts with our team members - making sure we take care of our team.

By doing that first, our team can then bring their Courage to Love to our participants to help them thrive - because otherwise you can't give what you don't have. And because every participant is a valued patriarch or matriarch of their community, the impact of their thriving through this approach has ripple effects beyond what we can see or even comprehend, probably for generations.” Since the arrival of the first COVID-19 vaccines, WelbeHealth has worked closely with participants and team members to provide rapid access to immunization and compassionate education to participants and their families about the risks of COVID-19 and the benefits of vaccination, driving a high vaccination rate among participants. WelbeHealth requires vaccination and booster shots for all team members to ensure the safety of our vulnerable seniors. In addition, WelbeHealth partnered with local Departments of Health in multiple service areas to be a local vaccination site for vulnerable members of the community, helping to vaccinate thousands of community members in addition to PACE participants.

LIVING OUR VALUES WelbeHealth continued to grow and thrive during the pandemic and as the world opened up, so did we. Centers began to reopen their doors and had “Welcome Home” events for Participants and staff alike. As we grew to our now 1600 participants, we rallied around new initiatives and programs focused on clinical excellence and healthy teams; all of which were guided by our mission and values. No longer a ‘start-up’, WelbeHealth stories and traditions began to come to life. The story of how one of our Stockton nurses saved “Daisy the Dog” from the pound made the local news and became our inspiration to do more. Keeping the PACE Awards honors team members who exemplify one of our core values. Battle of the Bands and holiday gatherings are now annual team member traditions. Wellness and healthy team dynamics are a priority. Connecting with our community at Farmer’s Markets, Senior Centers, and local non profits ties us to our neighbors.



WelbeHealth invests in its people through our “Equity for All” program that provides equity to every WelbeHealth Team member, a program that permits them the opportunity to share in any future wealth creation. In June 2022, WelbeHealth became the first PACE program to convert to Public Benefit Company Status, a type of corporate structure that ensures our long-term accountability to all stakeholders, not just shareholders. This structure reinforces WelbeHealth’s strong commitment to our mission and purpose. Unlike most Boards and executives who are accountable to fiduciary interests and investors, the company charter commits WelbeHealth to protecting all stakeholders, especially participants, our families and caregivers, employees, and communities.

“The seniors we serve are the elders of their communities and families,” Dr. France said. “By helping them thrive, they can live longer with greater connection, vitality and meaning. We’re converting to a public benefit company to ensure that our mission and purpose are protected for generations to come.”

ENVISIONING THE FUTURE WelbeHealth envisions a future in which every senior is cared for and honored . We embrace the hard work needed to achieve this goal. Our regulatory team provides local and national advocacy to advance the PACE program. Our Growth Team researches nationwide to find our underserved seniors and bring them the PACE model of care. We have “in the wings” sites in North Hollywood, Rosemead and San Jose, with “on the horizon” sites in New York and New Jersey. Our clinical team continues to hone its practices embracing excellence. Our central teams create strong infrastructure to support our markets. New models of care including home health and hospice may one day be added to WelbeHealth’s manner of caring for people. One thing is certain, as the future unfolds, WelbeHealth’s mission and values will continue to guide us.