Orange County Jewish Life caught up with Penny Byram, who established Professional Health Care Services, Inc., in 2000 as a caregiving registry dedicated to offering quality care to the sick and elderly. Byram, a single mother who had worked in finance and construction in the Philippines, started as a caregiver in 1995 and created PHCSI to “make a difference in people’s lives” all over Orange County.
Byram believes that her experience and passion, the fact that her desire to help people comes from her heart and the company’s ability to match caregivers with clients has made it successful. She trains people herself and takes a hands-on approach to every aspect of the company.
What is PHCSI’s mission? We provide the highest quality care in the home or hospital settings to the benefit of the client. We offer private-duty care for the elderly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What services do you offer? We provide staffing, placement and referrals for senior care. We have custodial, personal, hospital sitting and post-hospital care offerings. We offer senior concierge service, companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and shopping, grooming and dressing guidance, mail assistance and organization, periodic monitoring and communicating with family, medication reminders, doctor visits, reading, incidental transportation, respite for family caregivers and hospice support. We specialize in the care of clients with Alzheimer’s/Dementia, Parkinson’s, stroke infirmities and multiple sclerosis. We also help people to find appropriate residential care facilities that meet a family’s needs and budget.
How expensive is the care? Our rates are based on the level of care needed and the number of hours required by the family. Special arrangements are made to help those who cannot afford private duty care. Some companies do it for the money, but we believe that if we help first, the money will come later. Fees typically start at $18 per hour.
What makes PHCSI unique? Several key factors have contributed to our business success. We understand that we’re dealing with human beings, not selling commodities. I, as the founder and owner, understand that professionalism and high ethical standards are a must in business relationships. I provide hands-on care to patients needing service or training to workers on special skills. I take time to teach my workers how to gain respect and self esteem in their chosen field. I am proud to be a caregiver, strive to live up to my mission and hold others accountable to it as well. I am direct in business dealings with others and know that being open, honest and straighforward yields better results in both business and personal relationships. I lead by example to gain the respect of my workers, the management team and my clientele.
What makes PHCSI successful?
Client satisfaction is a major contributor to the company’s success. PHCSI is committed to providing services that exceed the client’s expectations. With more than 78 employees and company contractors, quality of care is dependent upon properly matching the experience of each worker to the special needs of the client. This matching provides the client with the highest quality service. As PHCSI continues to prosper, it has not lost focus on the importance of compassion. We have grown because of our dedication to the business. From the owners, to the management, to the employees, all units of the business operate as a team. Reliability and dependability of our workforce is another key factor in PHCSI’s success. Having a good management team and well-trained workers ensures that our clients receive the quality of service they pay for and deserve.
Why is it important to build relationships? Building relationships is at the core of success at PHCSI. The large number of clients that have come from word-of-mouth referrals attests to the importance of building these relationships. Our philosophy takes into account how its actions affect both the client and the worker. We strive to be fair and impartial when making decisions. PHCSI believes that it takes a special person to be in this business. Caregiving is not only for money. It should be a combination of coming from the heart and one’s willingness to give back to the community.
