Like this company’s name suggests, South Florida Integrative Medicine is on a mission to deliver mental health care in an integrative, holistic fashion.
Dr. Hugh Humphery, who owns the business with wife, Reed Haslach Humphery, explains that while this medical practice and small business based in Coral Gables specializes in mental health, “what we care about is not just delivering psychiatric care. We care about having multiple providers working with the patient on different areas. Some have to do with the medical piece, while others involve psychological and holistic aspects like sleep, exercise, nutrition, and gut flora.”
This husband-wife team brings different backgrounds to the table. Hugh’s background is in the sciences, but he’s always had an entrepreneurial spirit. He did his residency in Psychiatry at Duke University, where he was trained in psychological interventions and holistic training in medication and mindfulness. While working in research at FIU, he took more training in acupuncture, nutrition and functional medicine.
Reed comes from the art world and creative fields. “I find that to be an asset in what I’m doing now because I trained to approach problem-solving in a creative fashion, thinking outside the box,” she says.
Twelve years ago, the couple opened a small practice at first, but always with the vision of utilizing an integrative model. They began hiring other medical and holistic health providers including psychologists and master clinicians. One of their earliest hires was a yoga instructor.
They grew the business organically, adding more providers in various disciplines through the years. “And now we have partnerships with universities, training students and expanding to accommodate medical students and a psychiatric residency program,” Hugh says.
Their practice is registered as a site where graduate-level students can train under the supervision of licensed supervisors. South Florida Integrative Medicine works with a University of Miami PhD program and with Florida International University’s master’s degree program.
“We’re also a site for psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner programs for UM and FIU and so we have nurse practitioner students who are training to specialize in psychiatry rotate with us,” Reed says, adding that they also have a partnership with Southern Winds Hospital in Hialeah. “We have a broad reach in the community as far as training students and giving them the opportunity to learn in our setting.”
Neither Hugh nor Reed come from traditional business backgrounds, and that is one reason why using the services of Florida SBDC at FIU, the small business development center that offers no-cost business consulting and training to small businesses in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, was especially helpful to them. They have been working with SBDC at FIU business consultant Ricardo Newark, a specialist in business growth and finance.
“Ricardo has been amazing. His ability to synthesize the big picture while focusing on details has been crucial. He instilled discipline and accountability, keeping us on track with regular check-ins,” says Reed.
What’s more, “his guidance helped us organize for expansion, contributing to 14% growth in gross revenue in the past year.”
The business has also grown in the number of employees – to 19 medical providers including a health coach, plus a selection of students that rotate in throughout the year. They also employ nine staff members.
With Newark’s help, the business has been expanding its services, introducing psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners and incorporating some insurance-based services.
South Florida Integrative Medicine received the 305 Client of the Year award on May 2 at the Florida SBDC at FIU National Small Business Week 2024 Celebration. The 305 Client of the Year award is presented each year to a Florida SBDC at FIU client based in Miami-Dade County who has demonstrated significant business success or overcome adversity.
While most of South Florida Integrative Medicine’s services are fee-for-service, a few years ago the company set up a unit of psychiatric nurse practitioners that do accept certain insurance policies and that unit has been growing fast. “Ricardo is guiding us on this. We’ve been able so far to run it side by side. I call it our sister clinic,” Reed explains.
“Despite challenges, our integrative model has successfully balanced high-quality care with insurance-based services, addressing the growing mental health needs of our community,” Reed continues. “We appreciate Ricardo’s support and mentorship, which is essential for entrepreneurs navigating the challenges of running a business.”
She says the company also uses the latest technologies, including genetic testing. With the use of genetic testing, psychiatrists now can rule out an entire family of medications that are not going to be efficacious and save that patient time and potential negative side effects.
“We have all these tools, we have this breath of different providers and a one-stop shop model,” adds Hugh. Treatments for one patient can positively impact their entire family. “Potentially if you help one person, you might be affecting the trajectory of a generation down.”
They both offered advice for entrepreneurs. “Be prepared for really hard work. Being present, building those relationships, cultivating trust, following through, those are all really important things,” Reed says.
“The overarching theme for entrepreneurs, in my view, is to have a consistent vision, be goal-oriented, think strategically, and know your values,” Hugh adds.
Going forward, the Humpherys plan to continue to grow South Florida Integrative Medicine and expand services, such as bringing in a technology platform that enables better communication between parents and physicians.
What keeps them going?
“Finding out that we were able to make a true difference in someone’s life is exciting. Mental health is one of those things where it impacts so many people,” Reed says. “You can help break cycles that are not healthy, and that’s very powerful.”
“It’s been a labor of love and a lot of hard work, but we’re thrilled that it’s working,” adds Hugh. “Our focus remains on enhancing care, providing accessibility, and contributing to the community’s mental health services.”
South Florida Integrative Medicine
Coral Gables
Phone: 786-664-7810
Website: https://southfloridaintegrativemed.com