Nearly 45 years after helping define the urgent care model, Patient First has stuck to a simple idea: Put as much care as possible in one place, and staff it with people who stay.

“I joke and I say we’re like our own little dysfunctional family,” said Tina Horvath, the medical support director at the urgent care chain’s Allentown location. “You might get mad at your sister or your brother, but at the end of the day, we have each other’s backs.”

After starting her career working at an insurance company — or what she calls “the dark side” — Horvath joined Patient First as a staff nurse in 2018 and now spends her days supervising the center and coordinating staff. She said she hopes to retire from the location, one of three in the Lehigh Valley and one of nearly 80 dotted across the mid-Atlantic.

“Everyone that works here is here because they care about the patients, they care about each other,” said Horvath, recalling her interview process and how being a “people person” was just as emphasized as being knowledgeable.

In an industry known for burnout and turnover, Patient First holds a different standard. Employees cite a workplace with a noticeably upbeat energy, and many staff members have worked at the company for years.

That standard is just one of the reasons Patient First was named to The Morning Call’s Top Workplaces this year, making its first appearance to the list and placing 12th among companies with 500 or more employees.

“We do everything we can to make work enjoyable and keep that family-like atmosphere,” said Horvath, noting the ease with which she fills shifts and empty positions. “That’s what Patient First really is about.”

At the Allentown location, keeping that atmosphere can mean dressing in costumes or organizing employee raffles. This year’s holiday raffle rewards, packaged in crisp white paper bags, included bundles themed around pet supplies and self-care, and an entry was earned for each shift worked.

Boosting employee morale alongside Horvath is Medical Director Kimberly Sheets, who manages both the Allentown and Bethlehem centers.

“Some other jobs, you wake up and you don’t really want to get up and go to work,” Sheets said. “Here, it’s a pleasure.”

Sheets, who has been practicing medicine in the Lehigh Valley for more than 20 years, has been with Patient First since 2012. She transitioned into the company from a primary care job at a much larger hospital system.

“This is much more enjoyable,” said Sheets, who now spends her days tackling a huge range of conditions, from broken bones and chest pain to more routine follow-ups. “We see everything.”

That ability to see everything is central to the company’s model; each Patient First location is equipped to provide X-rays, lab testing and medication, all under one roof. Many locations also provide primary care or occupational health services, all with the aim of preventing patients from requiring a trip to the emergency room or another location.

“They always say, ‘The only thing constant here is change,’ ” Horvath said. “We’re constantly updating, making sure we have the latest and the greatest, and making sure that they can get the best bang for their buck here at the urgent care.”

Founded in 1981 by Richard Sowers, a former emergency physician, the company’s motto is in its name: The patient comes first. Locations are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 365 days a year.

“I’ve had people approach me and say, ‘I wasn’t feeling well’ or ‘I had an injury of some sort. Got to Patient First. It was 7:59, like a minute before you close, and I was welcomed,’ ” said George Yanoshik, the local community relations manager. “That doesn’t always happen.”

Being accessible is a mindset that extends upward, too.

“They’re ones that foster that type of culture,” said Sheets, crediting the family atmosphere to Patient First’s management. “Then it comes down to us.”

Sheets and Horvath said each center receives a visit from senior management at least once a year.

“I could cover my name tag and they would probably know everybody that’s here,” Horvath said. “They recognize us. They recognize us for what we do.”

Elisabeth Seidel is a freelance writer.

Patient First

Founded: 1981

Ownership: Private

Sector: Health care

Lehigh Valley employees: 184

Website: patientfirst.com