Brighter Days Expected in 2023 for Veteran-Owned Small Business
Team CPR is a medical billing and provider resources firm located in West Little Rock, Arkansas. Shirley Walker, President & CEO founded the woman-, minority-, and veteran-owned business in 2010 after working one-on-one with provider offices and healthcare facilities and realizing that many offices were understaffed and unable to find qualified personnel to manage their billing and reimbursement processes. By handling this process for the clinic, CPR allows businesses to keep the revenue cycle flowing so the medical provider can continue seeing patients.
When the first case of coronavirus was identified in Arkansas, Shirley’s team sprang into action. She knew that fear would deter individuals from seeking healthcare and telemedicine would provide an alternative way for patients to be seen and clinics to remain open. Times weren’t easy, and even with the support of Team CPR many clinics began to close.
Shirley recalls one day in March vividly: “We gathered the staff that Monday morning and I announced that we were going to have to lay off most of the remaining staff. We were a tight-knit group, and it was one of the most painful things I’ve ever had to do. We all stood there in the conference room, crying.”
When the pandemic assistance from the SBA became available, she stayed in constant contact with the SBA Arkansas District Office and utilized both the Paycheck Protection Program and the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan to catch up on bills and strategize about next steps. By transitioning functionality to allow employees to work from home safely and the wins of medical and technological advancements towards patient care, Team CPR managed to double their business from 2019, add a new customer service department, and boasts a staff of 14.
“The SBA really came through for us and helped see us through one of our darkest times. We continue to recover and grow, and I have the faith and confidence that we’re absolutely going to get there,” states Shirley. “We are a stronger company now for all of that, and I couldn’t have done any of it without the support of the PPP and EIDL. Now we look forward to a productive 2023.”