Teira Gunlock was raised on a small cattle farm in Missouri where she learned firsthand the value of hard work. She also bore witness to the difficulties for rural Americans to access high-quality healthcare. She joined First Stop Health to break down some of those barriers – most of which are not unique to rural America.
Focusing first on improving the patient experience at First Stop Health, Gunlock ascended in the ranks and now serves as the CEO where she oversees the total experience.
First Stop Health is a telemedicine/virtual care company with a mission to deliver delightful, affordable healthcare experiences to millions of people. In offering virtual primary care, urgent care and mental health services to its members, First Stop Health strives to provide care that people love.
Under Gunlock’s leadership, the healthcare company launched two new products – Virtual Mental Health and Virtual Primary Care – to provide people with the easily accessible care they deserve, she said. “Value-based care is going to become increasingly important as employers nationwide focus on ROI- and results-driven solutions to serve their employees,” said Gunlock. “Our virtual-first care model achieves high utilization, which results in happy employees, healthier populations and savings for employers.”
The firm has more than 750,000 members and 800+ clients, offering more than $45 million in healthcare savings year-to-date.
“Teira aims to be a titan in the industry because she understands that being an authentic leader who is focused on mission and employees is what will gain the best financial results and propel the company forward to positively impact the lives of more patients over time,” said her staff. “As a CEO who grew from within the organization, she has an immense compassion for the people on her team who work hard every day to transform patient care and improve healthcare access.”
In addition, Gunlock’s focus is on building relationships and mentoring others. “When we’re at our best, I believe that we’re using every relationship to learn something and to teach something,” she said. “The teaching aspect and mentoring others is something I take great pride in, and it gives me energy to watch others thrive.”
Recognizing that her secret superpower is aligning a team, Gunlock said she thrives when engaging with her team. “I think I have a unique ability to get everyone on the same page, helping them realize that the viewpoints they’re expressing support the same end goal, and that there is room for everyone’s thoughts and opinions as we move forward,” she said.
For her continued commitment to virtual healthcare and the growth of her team, Gunlock has been named a Titan 100.
