February 2023 Newsletter

How to Love What You Do

In some ways, keeping a job is like maintaining a marriage or committed partnership. Both your spouse and your employers have expectations. Both marriage and employment need communication and commitment. In marriage, not everything is a bed of roses and some days are undeniably dull. Similarly, no matter how passionate you are about your work, there are days when your job will fall short of expectations. 

While it can be tempting to wander to the greener “other side” when our jobs disappoint us, the truth is that most of the time, we can do certain things to feel better about it. Here are three simple ways to keep your love for your job burning.

Find allies

Studies show that relationships with coworkers play an important role in employees’ job satisfaction and intention to stay. The more solid your relationships with your colleagues are, the greater your sense of belonging. With most of us at Medstar doing field work or remote work, we need to be intentional about building relationships with our coworkers. We can do this by:

  1. Seeking a mentor, asking him/her questions and seeking his/her perspective about what you do. 

  2. Inviting colleagues to help you on a project. Alternatively, volunteer to work to help them in their projects.

  3. Appreciating your coworkers’ unique skills and talents. 

Find your Fit

There is no perfect job or employer. But as you look at the bigger picture and consider the organization’s purpose and how what you do impacts your customers and stakeholders, you can feel a greater sense of purpose. Do the same exercise with your team’s impact. Know how your team contributes to the company’s overall success and take pride in what you do.

Keep Communication Open

A study of couples whose marriage lasted for 43–67 years showed that a common thread among thriving couples is that they keep communications open. They talk through challenges and listen to the other person’s perspective without judgment. You will also find yourself loving your job more if you don’t bottle up your thoughts. According to this article, we should be open to our managers about our ideas, suggestions, feedback, goals and accomplishments. Likewise, we must be willing to receive feedback and corrections without becoming bitter.

This love month, we wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day! May you shower your loved ones with affection and appreciation and may you find a multitude of reasons to love what we do.


Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our February 2023 Newsletter Issue

 

January 2023 Newsletter

New Year, New Challenge!

One of our core values at Medstar is “Seek Growth”. We pride ourselves as a team that has a passion for learning and growth. Seeking growth begins during onboarding where we receive the necessary training to fulfill our roles. Throughout our employment, we are offered continuing education and further technical skills training. Aside from this, we get opportunities to work with someone from a different department, to mentor someone, to lead a project, to receive coaching, or to receive feedback from clients.

Seeking growth entails that we are willing to improve in line with evolving trends and best practices in our industry. Especially in the kind of service we provide, growth and learning opportunities can boost our everyday confidence in our role and enable us to provide the best care for our passengers. Learning opportunities are also important in enhancing our collective belongingness to Medstar and sense of ownership to its mission. 

So this year, may we also strengthen our resolve to seek growth and learning! Below are five simple suggestions that you can try to get started on that path:

  1. Set goals and share these with your manager. 

  2. Talk to a supervisor from your department and ask for tips to get better.

  3. Choose one skill that is important to your role and work consistently on it for one month.

  4. Take advantage of opportunities to learn a new skill and help others, such as covering for someone.

  5. Find someone newer to the company than you and be a mentor by asking questions and sharing advice. 

This 2023, Medstar will undoubtedly reach new heights because individually and as an organization, we will seek to grow, evolve and be better at driving happiness through safe and reliable service.


Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our January 2023 Newsletter Issue

 

December 2022 Newsletter

Happy Holidays!

What makes a wonderful Christmas?

While the holidays are often busy and packed with activities, Christmas is also a great time to reflect on what matters most– family and purpose. Christmas time coincides with the closing of a year, presenting us with a wonderful occasion to look back at how far we’ve come and to cherish our most important blessings.

This Christmas season, we at Medstar celebrate our growing team, our wins, and our new-found partnerships. All of these were made possible because of our clients’ trust.

This 2022, our team has grown by almost 50 percent.

When 2021 ended, we had a total of 180 employees including drivers and office staff. We will close 2022 with 256 employees and a couple of new roles being created to ensure that we meet our clients’ needs and keep our partners happy. Last 2021 concluded with 126 trained drivers onboard. This year, we have a total of 186 drivers.

We find the growth of Medstar awe-inspiring and significant because these people are our partners in fulfilling our mission. A bigger team entails a greater capacity to serve our clients and deliver health and happiness.

Similarly, we want to highlight our wins and new- found partnerships. This year, we’ve won contracts with
VA taxi services, PFP Omak and Okanogan, Spanaway Runner and Community Transit Zip Alderwood. We are proud to be their partners in offering accessible, safe, and economical access to transportation for all. Thank you for believing in us!

To cap the year in the spirit of thanksgiving and good cheer, we held a company- wide virtual Christmas gathering which was attended by over 200 employees from different parts of the world.

On behalf of the entire Medstar family, we wish you and your loved ones a blessed and meaningful Christmas!

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our December 2022 Newsletter Issue.

 

November 2022 Newsletter

Thanksgiving is a special day dedicated each year to giving thanks and being grateful. Celebrated in different parts of the world, it marks the beginning of the holiday season. And although this season is getting colder, this time of the year truly warms our hearts at Medstar.

As most of us continue to experience difficulties this year, 2022 has also been a year of opportunities to grow and continue. Over the last couple of months, Medstar has significantly expanded in a number of areas and has grown by bringing on more brilliant and dedicated people to our team. Given everything that is going on in the world, there is no better time than this Thanksgiving to pause and give gratitude for everything that is good.

Looking back, we realized how fruitful the last couple of months were for us and we are grateful to all of our employees, clients, and partners. We have accomplished our objectives and experienced a great deal of success because of your support, effort, and the extra hours you put in. Despite encountering some challenges along the way, it’s wonderful that we still chose to remain grateful no matter what.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our November 2022 Newsletter Issue.

 

October 2022 Newsletter

Pioneer Drivers in Omak and Tonasket

Medstar has been providing accessible rides since 1984, and our family just keeps growing! We recently introduced two new service locations in Okanogan County, Washington State: Omak and Tonasket. With this expansion, we were able to welcome two pioneer drivers into the growing Medstar family.

As pioneer drivers, they play a significant role in building the trust of our clients and representing Medstar in Omak and Tonasket. To get more insight, we recently interviewed them about how they got into Medstar, the training procedures, the work environment, and how they are liking the job so far.

 
 
 
 

We are happy to welcome our two new drivers to the Medstar family. We are certain that they will uphold the quality of our services and will always put our client’s safety and comfort first. Medstar Transportation is actively recruiting more drivers in Okanogan County and many other locations across Washington State. If you know someone who is interested in becoming a driver, just send an email to careers@gomedstar.com, and we’ll take care of the rest.

September 2022 Newsletter

What is National Women’s Health and Fitness Day?

Every year on the last Wednesday of September, women from all over the country celebrate National Women’s Health and Fitness Day. The event aims to raise awareness about women’s health and fitness issues. Various organizations hold activities and events throughout the country to encourage women to take control of their health.  

Why Is It Important?

Health is an integral aspect of life as it covers mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional just to name a few. However, a lot of women are at a greater risk for poor health due to work and family demands, and other factors that cause stress. On top of that, the current pandemic is making it even more important to advocate for and promote the health of women.

What Can You Do? 

At Medstar Transportation, we value and give importance to the overall health and wellness of our employees. As we join the advocacy for women’s health and fitness, we asked some of our female employees about how they keep themselves healthy and some advice to other women struggling with it.

Don’t think you’ve left it too late to start. Always be sure to prioritize your health, wellness, and fitness. Ladies, it’s time to put your health first!

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our September 2022 Newsletter Issue.

August 2022 Newsletter

Medstar wins two contracts!

Medstar Transportation has recently won not one, but two contracts this year! Last May, Medstar was chosen by Community Transit to implement the Microtransit Lynnwood Pilot Project for Snohomish County in Washington. We will work with them to design, launch, operate, market, maintain, and iterate a demand-responsive microtransit service pilot in 2022.

In just a month, we won another contract with Pierce Transit. Medstar
will implement Spanaway Runner Service and provide transit connections
for seniors, persons with special needs, and limited mobility in the 2-mile boundary in the Parkland-Spanaway Midland area using an application-based trip planning platform. The Spanaway Runner Service will also accommodate trips to the general public within places defined in the Spanaway service area.

These opportunities give us more chances to grow and provide service with utmost safety and reliability. We are just getting started this year. We will look for more opportunities to expand and continue to drive happiness through service.

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our August 2022 Newsletter Issue.

July 2022 Newsletter

Breaking Barriers to Accessibility

This July, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) turns 32 along with the celebration of the National Disability Independence Day. This broke down several barriers to accessibility, has improved mobility, and ensured safety.

One way to observe National Disability Independence Day is to start with a little bit of introspection. How accessible is your business to those with disabilities? Transportation sits at the center of our daily lives. Having access to it could also mean having access to food, clothing, education, jobs, friends, necessities and all other resources that the world has to offer.

Medstar Transportation has recognized this pressing need and it is committed to providing equal opportunities for people to access safe and reliable services. After all, transportation is not just a basic need—it represents independence, autonomy, and well-being.

June 2022 Newsletter

SAFETY: It is Our Number One Value

June is Safety month! And here at Medstar, we consider Safety as our Top Core Value.

Now that we are in the middle of the year, let’s revisit some safety tips as we drive our clients to their desired destinations.

1. Prevention

Unexpected breakdowns can be a pain for both drivers and passengers. However, these breakdowns can be prevented as we perform inspections, report any issues immediately, and perform scheduled services. Make sure to give ample time before the start of your trip to perform a Pre-Trip Inspection. At the end of your shift, make sure to also do a Post-Trip Inspection to assure that the vehicle didn’t encounter any issues after a full day of use. Check if your vehicle is due for any service and contact Fleet and/or Safety for any concerns.

2. Defensive Driving

Keep your focus, maintain proper distance, and take caution on every tweak and turn. Always be early to trips so you don’t have to speed through to get to your desired destination. Being a defensive driver can help all vehicles on the road have a tense-free drive.

3.
Preparation for the Weather

Whether it’s raining, snowing, or the sun is up, it’s important to make smart decisions in any driving condition. Follow speed limits and use appropriate light signals for a safe drive.

4. School Zones, Residential Areas, and Speed Limits

Prevent accidents by strictly adhering to speed limits. Make sure to check your speed especially when entering school zones and residential areas. This can keep you, your passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers safe. 

Don’t learn safety by accident! Be cautious, stay alert, follow traffic rules, and always remember that safety is more important than convenience.

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our June 2022 Newsletter Issue.

May 2022 Newsletter

No Substitute to Hard Work

Last month, we announced a new compensation structure that focuses on driver efficiency. This structure aims to recognize and reward our hardworking drivers, and increase employee retention.

Some may be adjusting and have some questions as we transition to a better and more productive compensation structure. But rest assured that the Management’s goal is to help each of
our drivers succeed and have a fruitful experience at Medstar.

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our May 2022 Newsletter Issue.

April 2022 Newsletter

New Compensation Package

As a company, we appreciate your concerns, recommendations, and insight on the new compensation model for the Transportation Department.

We want you to know that we appreciate your perspective. We are currently listening to the different concerns, analyzing the recommendations, and gathering data on implementing the compensation model with the first payroll processes.

We are actively working on gathering the needed data to modify or improve the model.

Once again, thank you for being such a valuable part of our company. We appreciate your patience and understanding of our new processes.

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our April 2022 Newsletter Issue.

We are Happy to Announce a Wage Increase and New Incentive Program!

We recognize and appreciate everyone's hard work and commitment for the past year! These are challenging times for all businesses across the globe, but Medstar has continued to weather the effects of the pandemic. We continue to grow, expand and overcome the challenges that come our way.

With all your efforts and unwavering dedication, we are happy to announce a wage increase and additional bonuses in the Transportation Department effective on April 1st, 2022! This includes an increase in ALL our drivers’ base rate!

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our March 2022 Newsletter Issue.

Remembering a Star

“Say not in grief 'he is no more' but live in thankfulness that he was.”

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Daniel ‘Dan’ Rodriguez. Dan, 70, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 20, 2022, in Union Gap, WA with his loving wife, Kay by his side. Dan has been a part of the Medstar family for 19 years and will be dearly missed by his friends and family.

Dan was a man of faith and loved his family more than anything else. He was a hard worker who was always willing to lend a hand to his friends and colleagues. His colleagues describe him as a wonderful man who always went out of his way to help others. Dan was a blessing to everyone, not only to the Medstar family but also to all of the clients he served throughout the course of his 19-year career as a driver.

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our February 2022 Newsletter Issue.

Healthy isn’t a Goal– It’s a Way of Living!

Do you know that January 19 to 26 is Healthy Weight Week? So it’s time to check our lifestyle and eating habits to maintain a healthy weight.

What is considered a healthy weight?

It is essential to recognize that one's weight is not an accurate measure of overall health. A healthy weight, however, lowers one’s risk of weight-related illnesses and diseases. And in order to maintain one, we must first determine what constitutes a healthy weight for our own bodies.

How do we maintain a healthy weight?

  • Follow a healthy diet

  • Drink lots of water

  • Limit portion size to control your calorie intake

  • Get enough sleep

  • Be as physically active as you can be!

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our January 2022 Newsletter Issue.

‘Tis the Season to be... grateful!’

This year has been a challenging year for many individuals, families, and even businesses, not just in the State of Washington, but across the globe. But it has also been a year of opportunities and growth for Medstar Transportation. We have expanded rapidly in various regions and we have added a lot of talented and committed individuals to our Team.

Indeed, we’ve come through a year of pandemic, filled with both challenges and victories. But how reassuring it has been to know that we can count on all of our wonderful Medstar employees regardless of what faces us. Your support, dedication, and the extra hours that you worked have helped us achieve our goals and enjoy many successes. Each one of you has given valuable contributions to Medstar and we are very proud of you.

So this Christmas season, we offer our best wishes and happiness to you and your families as we look forward to another year of exciting opportunities. Let new beginnings signify a new chapter filled with pages of success and happiness, written by the ink of hard work and service.

Read more updates about Medstar by downloading our December Newsletter Issue.

Happy Veterans and Thanksgiving Month!

Through the years, a significant number of sailors, airmen, marines, and soldiers have fought valiantly to protect our liberty. And last November 11th, we celebrated Veterans Day to honor all of them who served in the military--young and old, dead or alive.

So this Thanksgiving Month, Medstar Transportation is giving a15% fare discount to all our veterans until November 30th. Just call Medstar at 800-236- 2011 to reserve your ride.

Read more about Medstar Transportation updates by downloading our November Newsletter Issue

Medical Transporters: The Unsung Heroes of the Pandemic

When we hear the word “hero”, people may think about comic-book characters, soldiers, law enforcement and firefighters. All these can fit into the category of hero, but many others do as well.

Medical Transporters, our Medstar Drivers, are definitely among them. They wear no cape, nor fight villains with glittering weapons. But they are ordinary people who find strength amidst the global pandemic to serve others and take us safely where we need to be, time in and time out. Many of our transports are for life sustaining services and essential medical appointments for individuals that need accessible vehicles and professionally highly-trained drivers.

Read more by downloading the Medstar’s Newsletter August Issue

Medstar Comes Out Stronger: New Bonuses and Pay Increase Await Everyone!

This past year, the effects of the global pandemic have undeniably disrupted the economy, brought various industries to a complete standstill, and even spurred mass layoffs. All these, however, have not stopped Medstar from expanding to new areas and territories, bringing safe and reliable transportation to all.

Read more by downloading the Medstar’s Newsletter July Issue