Alumni Profile: Lisa Feierstein
Lisa (Bresenoff) Feierstein, BS, Nursing ’78, founded Active Healthcare twenty-three years ago after many years as a bedside nurse in various practice settings and as a nurse administrator. Though she readily admits to not wanting to be a bedside nurse anymore, Lisa brings her nursing skills to everything she does regarding her company. Active Healthcare (co-founded with her husband Steven Feierstein) has thirty employees and is an industry leader in medical equipment and sleep studies. Lisa credits her training as a nurse and her education at the VCU School of Nursing for much of her success. The adage of “always a nurse” holds true as Lisa believes very strongly in educating the patient and their family to use the equipment they provide. Lisa also implemented a ten point follow up plan to ensure compliance and proper use of the equipment. Thus, Active Healthcare has patient outcomes that are the envy of their competitors and strong support from physicians who are familiar with the company and its success rate.
Lisa paired her BS in Nursing with an MBA in Health Administration from Western New England College and began her company at home while she was raising her two children (now in their early 20’s). Drawing on her background as a nurse and using skills honed while earning her MBA, Lisa has made sure the company remains flexible to meet the needs of patients and the healthcare marketplace. Lisa takes this seriously – going so far as to keep a giant stuffed Gumby in the Active Healthcare headquarters in Raleigh as a reminder to always meet the customer where they are. Lisa also cares for patients who are less able to pay for the newest equipment. They have an innovative program called Back2Life that collects and refurbishes used sleep apnea equipment and nebulizers that are then distributed to an underserved population. This program has earned Lisa the nickname “The CPAP Fairy Godmother” in some circles.
In 2012 Lisa was honored by Business Leader magazine as a 2012 Top Entrepreneur in the Triangle. She is a frequent presenter at local health conferences and support groups, including Speaking of Women’s Health, WakeMed Nursing Grand Rounds and the North Carolina Asthma Summit. The magazine, Enterprising Women, honored her in 2011 for her entrepreneurial spirit by naming her as one of their 2010 Women Extraordinaire.
The VCU School of Nursing is proud to count Lisa among our alumni and recognized her at the VCU School of Nursing’s Outstanding Alumni during Reunion Weekend in April 2013. You can keep up with Lisa and read about a variety of issues related to sleep on her Good Night’s Sleep blog at www.activehealthcare.com/blog/
Categories Alumni and Friends