Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, Charles Coolidge launched his own consulting firm after spending 15 years building a federal advocacy firm. Months later, a global respiratory pandemic shook the world. Quickly pivoting his business model to adapt to the changes, Coolidge Consulting teamed up with the largest distributor of non-invasive ventilation in the country – Viemed Healthcare – to ensure all at-risk lives from COVID-19 would have the medical equipment they needed.
The chief executive officer of Viemed Healthcare asked Coolidge to join the company where he quickly optimized local, state, and federal contacts to build a national call center assisting in contract tracing across the country and then pivoting to vaccination targeting as well as outreach. In two short years, Coolidge’s programs alone increased the company’s EBITDA by 10% and $7 million.
As the nation’s leader in home disease management, Viemed Healthcare is committed to delivering best-in-class respiratory services inside the comforts of home. Every day, the team helps patients manage serious respiratory conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neuromuscular diseases, and obstructive sleep apnea, to consequently breathe better and live longer, healthier lives.
In his role as chief strategy officer, Coolidge leads the company’s federal affairs, strategic partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions division where he led the first successful acquisition for Viemed. He continues to capitalize on significant legislative and state growth for the company as well as for the DME industry as a whole.
“Problems happen, and there’s always a fire to put out when we have over 1,000 employees working with federal agencies, and even patients requiring chronic, complex respiratory services,” said Coolidge. “The key that I continue to lean on is leading when it’s needed and empowering your internal team, who often are in the trenches more than the leaders to step up and own the problem, yet fully supported by their leader.”
After 15 years at a national advocacy firm, Coolidge said he could have easily worked less and made the same amount of money as the years rolled by, but he wanted more. “I never anticipated enjoying working in the healthcare industry as much as I have and the support and mentorship I have received from our chief executive officer and board has been incredible,” he said. “I have been surrounded with opportunities to learn, grow and continue to empower the team around me.”
Behind every successful leader is an incredible team of support who help drive the important initiatives that move the needle for the organization, said Coolidge. “Empowering the team to succeed together and promoting your team is what I think defines real leadership,” he said. “Taking the ownership of items that require attention, and possibly fail while building off of your team’s successes is essential.”
