Innovation is key; it is important to us to improve quality of life in ways others haven’t. We want to take our time in understanding what our patients need and ensuring we have all the key players participating in their care. We try to achieve the highest quality by going above and beyond whenever and however we can, whether that is spending more time with you or committing more resources to you. We are teachers; education is a top priority within our staff and within our community, so our families feel comfortable with us and believe in our vision. We have set an unprecedented cachet within the healthcare community by striving to set new trends and expectations among our colleagues and providing education for them as well.
Most importantly, Meridian affirms life. Transitions can be difficult, but by acting as a strong foundation for our patients and families to lean on, they can easily achieve a pain-free, quality life.
Our mission and vision
The culture of caring at Meridian Health Care starts from the top down. From our leadership, to the clinical team, to the office staff, our C4 model embodies our approach to affirming life and impacting the family experience each step of the way.
Combining action and empathy creates compassion – something that we aim to exude with each interaction. By developing a compassionate connection with our families and other agencies, we can bring everyone together to achieve one common goal: the well-being and comfort of your loved one. Our team is committed to always seeking the opportunity to contribute to furthering education, innovative practices, and new research within the health care industry, to ensure that your loved one is receiving the best quality care.
Our leadership team
Jay Jay Montenegro, OTR/L
CEO
While completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois (Chicago), Jay Jay founded a fraternity in support of lupus and is still active in educating new pledges today. From there, he went on to graduate from Rush University, which is ranked among the top ten in the nation for medical graduate programs. His clinical background as an occupational therapist is a great advantage in the hospice and palliative field when it comes to innovative therapies. He has a genuine passion for working to achieve the goals set by the patient and their families through engagement, education, and high quality care. Working alongside various healthcare agencies, Jay Jay’s past experience has allowed him to grow as a therapist and educator by learning techniques that help make the lives of Meridian families as stress- and pain-free as possible.
“As being a son of two doctors, a brother of a nurse, and myself a practicing occupational therapist, it is not only my passion to assess, treat, and care for people, it is my destiny. I want you to feel like we are an extension of your family as you invite us into your life to help. With what is most often times a challenging and emotionally draining experience, I ask that you let us help carry some of the responsibilities, so that you can spend time enjoying memories instead of pushing through them.”
Lamari P.C. Brayboy III, CDP
COO
It takes a keen eye to understand the balance between growth and quality in the healthcare industry. Lamari is constantly looking for ways to better serve our communities while striving for a genuine companionship with colleagues in the field. His success in helping corporations achieve their aspirations in times of need has developed him for the key role of COO at Meridian. He has won many awards in the legal, business consulting, and company achievement fields, along with leadership recognition from the American Bar Association and EEOC. Between Lamari’s business operations background and Jay Jay’s clinical background, the two have created a dynamic powerhouse within the industry; Meridian could not have wished for a more perfect match.
“While some tasks may often times feel too great to handle, Meridian has proven to be there for families and patients in unexpected ways. I think that it is the unexpected pleasantries we find most valuable in life, those who do things because it is the right thing to do. Whether you become apart of Meridian’s care or not, when you encounter us, you should know that we are here to serve and make tough conversations not so tough to talk about among friends.”
Our proud history
Meridian Health Care began when owners, Hope and Louis Montenegro, moved to the United States from the Philippines in search of a better opportunity and life for their family. While living in the Philippines, both Hope and Louis were employed as board-certified physicians, Hope specializing in OB-GYN(obstetrics and gynecology) and Louis specializing in general surgery. After moving to the United States to fulfill their dream of raising a family, Hope and Louis decided to change their career paths and become Registered Nurses.
In 2008, Hope and Louis Montenegro used their combined experience and knowledge of the medical field to start their own home health practice, Meridian Health Care. The practice quickly became successful because of Hope and Louis’s vast experience as both certified physicians and registered nurses, and due to their commitment to run a practice focused on high quality, patient-centered care. The team’s commitment to their patients set a standard for a high quality of care, and all future employees were expected to uphold these standards. Since 2008, Meridian Home Health has won numerous top agency awards and is now recognized as one of the top 250 home health agencies in the country. From all facility staff including medical physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurses, to internal medical coordinators, and community liaisons, the Meridian mission statement holds true as a clinician based, family owned practice that strives to meet the needs of their patients wherever they may be and with the highest quality of care they can achieve.
Their daughter and son, Hope Junior and Jay Jay Montenegro, followed in their parents footsteps and began careers in the medical field. Hope received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Loyola University and is now a registered nurse, and Jay Jay last received a Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from Rush University. Hope and Jay Jay currently hold leadership positions at Meridian Health Care. In 2016, Hope Junior and Jay Jay, with support and advice from their parents, created an additional branch of the company, Meridian Palliative and Hospice Care Services. Meridian Palliative and Hospice care services focus on the same commitment to high-quality patient-centered care.
Under the dedicated management of Hope Junior and Jay Jay Montenegro, the Palliative and Hospice care branch has steadily grown to service over 300 families in the Chicagoland area. With innovative approaches and a top to bottom mindset of accountability and commitment to their employees, the Montenegro family and now the Meridian Health Care family, look forward to continuing their high quality and patient-centered services in the Chicago land area.
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