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The Let's Get Comfy Podcast
The Pruitt Health Difference: Service, Family, and Values
Edward Estes, Regional Account Executive at Pruitt Health, shares his journey with the healthcare organization and explains their comprehensive services across multiple states. His passion for healthcare stems from personal experience and a desire to help others, demonstrating how Pruitt Health embodies their family-oriented approach to patient care.
• Pruitt Health began as a pharmacy over 50 years ago and now provides comprehensive healthcare services
• Edward covers central Florida, south Georgia, and parts of Atlanta for ancillary sales including pharmacy, medical supplies, shredding, and equipment rentals
• Pruitt Health's unique perspective as both operators and service providers gives them deeper insight into client needs
• Edward played defensive back at Liberty University, overcoming back-to-back concussions to return to a starting position
• Skilled nursing facilities provide essential 24-hour care that cannot be replicated at home
• About 40-43% of caregivers pass away before the person they're caring for due to the immense stress
• Edward prioritizes God first, followed by family and work, maintaining strict boundaries to protect personal time
• Personal losses have shaped Edward's approach to life and work, deepening his compassion for others
Visit PruittHealth.com or find them on social media platforms to learn more about their services in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
This episode of let's Get Comfy was brought to you by Evolutionary Healthcare. Caring is what we do. Welcome to the let's Get Comfy podcast. We have Pruitt Health. They're also one of the top leading sponsors for Florida Healthcare. We're here in Orlando at the Florida Healthcare 2025 Conference and Trade Show, and I have the regional account executive with me, uh, mr edward and steve. Uh, I always let our guests here on the podcast introduce themselves, uh, and let you guys know what they do and who they are. So let's go ahead, sir all right.
Speaker 2:First of all, norman, want to thank you for having me on. It's a great opportunity. I've obviously been following what you've been doing and seeing all the stuff on linkedin, you know, bringing awareness, allowing people to you know, share what they do and whatnot. It's great, so really appreciate that. But yeah, I'm Edward Estes work with Pruitt Health, been with them five years just moved to Florida really four and a half years ago, but I cover our central, central Florida, south Georgia and some of Atlanta ancillary sales. So that's pharmacy, med supply, shredding, rental, like you know. So a little bit of everything.
Speaker 1:So is it more so for you? Is it like your what they call it conflict management? Yeah, and there's a little fire, they go call Ed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, call Ed. Hey, call Ed, I call him. If you need a service, you name it. We got it right. I'll be there to show up and take care of your needs for sure man, that shows your dependability.
Speaker 1:So with Pruitt Health, if you can just share, where did you begin with them? And just your journey along the way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I would say I guess I said I was. I've been with them five years. Really it's going on six. I've lived in Florida for five years now, but I used to work for, I'll just say it, I used to work for Omnicare and I went to a conference and sat in a booth right across from Pruitt and I watched them operate with one another and the way that they interacted and it was such a family vibe and I watched.
Speaker 2:You know, some of their partners is what we call people that we do business with come through and how they interacted. I was like there's something special about that, right, um, and with that I ended up having my former GM of the pharmacy I was with in Atlanta saw me, he kind of followed me around, introduced me to Michael right, michael Ferguson, late, great Michael Ferguson, yes sir. And that led me like two weeks later from that conference, right, they were like, hey, are you interested in coming on with us? And right away I said yeah, and here I am. I started in Georgia and opportunity opened up in Florida and and I'm here man.
Speaker 1:Listen, well, they have a jewel man just from meeting you. We probably met here at the conference. Uh, you know my cousin Greg too. Oh yeah, so, uh, man, always a stand-up guy. Everything you told me stood to your word and that's probably like level one for me as far as building a relationship. Somebody that sticks to their word, that's who I, that's really I deal with, cause you show me any other. I really take people at what they show them. Yes, sir, I believe you, who you are.
Speaker 2:Yes, sir.
Speaker 1:So, with Pruitt Health, for our audience out there, for people that may have not be familiar right with healthcare care, because my audience is the everyday, the community, right, tell them who, what, uh, pruitt health is. Uh, what do you guys do and who you serve so Pruitt health.
Speaker 2:I mean, if you live anywhere in Georgia, you know Pruitt health, we're everywhere. You know we sponsor um all the teams in Atlanta. But we are health care. I mean we really are. We embody what it means to be a health care provider. We also serve the community in several different ways. We own operate communities. We have some that we own operate in Florida, many in Georgia, north Carolina, south Carolina as well.
Speaker 2:But over 50 years ago we actually started off as a pharmacy, right, most people don't even know that. They're like well, I know Pruitt Health because you guys own these buildings. But it's like well, we started as a pharmacy first and that kind of grew into several different lines of service that we have. And that kind of grew into several different lines of service that we have. But you know what? Again, what I love about what we do is we. We partner with people. But you become our family, right, you know, you kind of talked about, you know, being a man of my word and relationship that matters to us, right, you know, because in this industry, challenges are going to come about, right, and you want to partner with somebody like Pruitt, right? Not only do we understand some of the pains that other homes go through. It allows us to speak to you a little bit different than other vendors, right, but because we own and operate, we partner better, I think, with everyone else for sure.
Speaker 1:Yes, sir. Well, definitely have a stronghold in the health care sector, definitely in the senior care industry as well, just from the range of services. Man to build that out it had to be someone dynamic, right and leadership, but also a family-oriented environment and have that really continuity to do so. So I think that's what I think is most impressive about Pruitt. And then everyone that you engage with in Pruitt Health. You really believe that they're sincere with their mission and focus. So, going back to industry impact, you indicated that you guys are leading in Georgia and many other states as well, but any projects upcoming you guys have, releasing or anything like that- I would say the newest.
Speaker 2:I mean, you know, or for me, I've spoken quite a bit about MedSupply. It's kind of something that we've started to take on on our sales team and really growing what we do in med supply and also we just added shredding, which I think is really cool. I mean, you know, if you need it, we provide it. But I think what we do in med supply and shredding and also pharmacy, I mean I just think. But if you're talking about big projects like we will pick up your paper shred boxes and we take it, yep, we will shred it.
Speaker 1:Prue has said we do everything.
Speaker 2:We do it all so like that's. The newest thing that we've added is that line of business is shredding and rentals. I guess you would say that. So CPAPs, bopaps, oxygen and all that they deal me Yep, so we yep.
Speaker 1:So let me ask you, me ask you have you ever considered?
Speaker 2:operating a facility, a skilled nurse facility at all. It's funny because, uh, I was I'll just say I don't care I was actually having the conversation with our good friend zachariah. Yeah, today at the golf tournament. I was like man, what is it like? I've always been interested, right like I, I have a desire to grow, no matter what I'm doing, and I love, I absolutely love Pruitt. Um, I think better than any company I've ever been with. They take care of you, um, but I love people, um, I watched my mom, you know, uh, in Georgia, be be in a skilled nursing facility, which drove me to want you to learn about being an administrator. I also want to lead people. I love encouraging and helping people become who they're, they're designed to be, right. So it's like can you help grow people from the ground up and watch them blossom into something you know beautiful? I? I think I I'm interested. Yeah, I don't know if I would ever take the leap, but I'm definitely interested and I'm intrigued by the idea for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, man Taley, if you want a challenge, if you want a challenge, that's the PC word to use. If you want a challenge, go ahead. You're going to have all the assets, but also, too, you were fluent, so you're going to be taken care of, but you won't challenge buddy.
Speaker 2:Go ahead, that's what everyone's and that's like I think I'm a glutton for challenges, right, like well, I look back Honestly. I mean this Like you know, playing college ball, you learn so much and the adversity that you face, right, and I went through so much the grind Again. I was so part of my story we talked about it earlier about me playing ball right.
Speaker 1:Not to get off topic.
Speaker 2:But, like as a freshman in college, you know first of all you go in, you're not the man anymore, right. So you can be as good as you want in high school, but go to college, it's it all pretty much resets, right. But I worked my tail off to get to where I was honestly starting. So we had basically a nickel rover position, right. I earned my way to that and then I ended up getting a concussion. In practice I hit um. We had a guy sam congado ended up playing in the nfl for years. Dude was. I mean he was built different, he was Nigerian. I mean he was as solid as a rock. In practice I came on a blitz. We met head to head. Boom, like he's 225. I mean, one of the strongest dudes.
Speaker 1:You thought you were 140.
Speaker 2:then Nah, I was, I played. Believe it or not, I played at 198. Really, in high school, in college, In college, I played at 198. No, high school, I was like 170, 175.
Speaker 1:Yeah 175.
Speaker 2:But all that to say is like so I got a concussion.
Speaker 1:You're probably like 198 now.
Speaker 2:No, I'm 180, 182. Wow you went down.
Speaker 1:Yeah, a lot of people watching are going to be jealous of you. You lost weight as you ate.
Speaker 2:As I ate. Yeah, it's really good man, it's eat how I eat, you're right.
Speaker 2:But, yeah, so I was talking about the adversity and the glutton for challenges. No, no, no, you're good. So I got the starting role, get a concussion in practice and so that I don't lose my job, I'm like, I'm fine, worked through it and before they had all the crazy concussion protocols first play of the first game, right, I come in and make the tackle, boom and the guy I go put my head across, I make the play, but he knees me right in my head. Concussion. I'm out for the season.
Speaker 2:Wow, for the season, because I got two concussions back to back. Back to back. Got for the season because I got two concussions back to back. Oh, back to back, got it. So you're talking, you do all that work and you get to that position, but all to say that I still had to fight from Fight, yeah. And then when I came back next year, I'm on scout team. So I go from scout team back to starting and I'll say that, just like you face adversity and when you go through it and you fight through it, it's like you know you pick up and you go one foot in front of the other and figure it out.
Speaker 1:Man, we'll give you a high schooler shout-out and your former university that you played, man, yeah, so I played at Pollen County High School in college.
Speaker 2:I played at defensive back at Liberty University. Yeah, yeah, go Flames.
Speaker 1:See 198 out there too, 198.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So a man that can handle adversity but chose the route of providing care, being there for people, but you do it with such passion and compassion, right so? I put that together sometimes I like that so as an account executive, I want to ask you why skilled nursing facilities are vital to the community. I know a lot of people turn their nose up at it. They have misconceptions about it. Just why is it vital to just overall?
Speaker 2:Well, I'll start with. The misconceptions just typically come from a lack of knowledge, right and understanding of you know, the roles and responsibilities and truly what goes into it. I mentioned it earlier, right, my first taste of true skilled nursing environment was my mother being sick, right and having to be in a skilled nursing facility and I had some healthcare background information, but not as much. But they're vital because there are families that don't have the means or needs to provide the care right that a loved one needs and you know, honestly, the most affordable way is in a skilled nursing environment.
Speaker 2:I know, right, and you can't. You know, as much as we try, you can't replicate that in a home right, the 24-hour service and care. And it is hard, you know, and I tell families, you know it's hard on the people in there and you got to understand what they're going through and you got to. You know, you got to learn as much as you can as a family member, but then you also got to have some grace on the home side and you got to really work with them. But they're vital because, again, in my opinion, the 24-hour care that's needed depending on the health of the loved one, can't be provided at home, like it can be provided in a skilled nursing environment.
Speaker 1:I tell people that all the time I've given plenty of educations and speeches with different communities, alfs, skilled nurse facilities I say, yes, you have a passion because that's your mom. Nobody can care for my mama like me. I hear it all the time I said but hey, you have to have a life too, right, and the statistics shows about around. I want to say don't, look this up, okay, I'm a lucky mom. I want to say around, I want to say 40 to 43% of caregivers actually pass away before the person that they're caring for yeah, well, it's stressful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean again going back. I remember you know my mom being at home, right, and this was my sister trying, and it just wears on you because 24 hours is a long time and you don't know until it's 2 am and they're in bed and they need you and you know you've been up all day, whatever it is. You know changing them feeding, whatever the case may be, and then you know, so again, that 20, you know the skilled nursing environment is just so vital to the health and you know, for families for sure.
Speaker 1:So qualities, upbringing we touched on those things. I could definitely see you're a man of value, and just me knowing you, I know it's true as well. So how do you prioritize life? Right, you do a lot. You're traveling different areas all over the state as well, Different states too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, different states. How do you?
Speaker 2:manage that balance right there, I don't know you just wake up and go. No, I mean, sometimes it feels like that. But one is my priority is God's always number one, right, so that leads everything else that I do, whether I'm, you know, again, we talked about what you know, we're fighting right now a loss in our Pruitt family, right, and if God isn't the foundation of that and I let my emotions drive, or me personally, like I'm gonna be like this, right, you know, there's days I'm gonna be like I ain't, I'm not getting out of bed or whatever, but like so God's first. And then, obviously, you know, we say our family, but part of part of family is providing for that family. So you know, my family's there.
Speaker 2:But I got to, I got to get up and go and work, right, but in that I find time. So my kids play ball, right, so I got it's year round. So it might be softball, travel, softball, baseball, football, soccer. So you, just in that workspace, you got to grind Right, I got to be focused, I got to be efficient. So to me that's key. You know, when I'm working, I'm working and when I'm not, like my family, and and I'll be honest, I don't let anybody interrupt my family time. I'll be honest, I don't let anybody interrupt my family time, I just don't. Right and and again, that comes from my past when you lose a child, right, when you, you know, my dad was my best friend, so when you lose him, and then you lose your mother, my whole perspective changed. Right and it was. And I, when I was working at Liberty, you know, back in the day, I was grinding right, no sleep, no, no balance. But I'm my look, I'm always happy, right, and that passion, you see, comes from that.
Speaker 2:When you lose people, you love people, different Right and and so when I prioritize again God family and then my work family, so I give to these people as much as I give to my family, to be honest when I'm with them and, honestly, the fact that you start off with god, god is going to be your constant reminder.
Speaker 1:He's going to let you know if you make sure you two, you know, stay in tune with him, if you have that personal relationship with him. He's going to be a reminder and let you know. Hey, man, you need to pay a little attention to your daughter. Yeah, you need to pay a little attention to your wife, and something may be going on over there, absolutely keeping them first overall as a man for one, yeah, uh, it's very important man. So that speaks volumes too. I try to uphold those things too. Uh, just, I'm probably like these past year man, probably talk to god more than I ever have before. I'd be mad at him oh man argue with him.
Speaker 1:It's like he's just a regular person.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're right. You're right, that's a big part of it is being able to wrestle, like that's part of the walk is you wrestle with God daily. It is Because he's got a.
Speaker 1:I'm telling you, I'm a hard head, I'm going to be real, I'm a hard head, so he's come on, man right right, right, god, tell me about paying your remand. I'll pay your tithes. I just got the money. Okay, like come on, man, yeah, but but man, so uh, fishing coaching, you do that too, yeah yeah, I didn't throw the fishing in there, I was kind of keeping that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm joking I'm joking, so but yeah, man, but um, you do a lot, so that lets me know. You have a good balance, man. Yeah, that's very important, but that helps you with your performance too.
Speaker 1:There it is In the workplace right that helps you to have that passion and compassion for people. Because you have that balance effectively right To relieve the anxiety that stress. So I love that about you. So for families, I know you guys are all over but for those that may have not heard about Pruitt Healthcare, if you can let them know some of your locations or website, those things, how they can reach you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can go to PruittHealthcom, right, and then Pruitt Health on Instagram, facebook, all that we're again. You know we're in florida uh, georgia, north carolina, south carolina on up, but obviously we're here in florida, so we want to promote what we do in florida. So, if anybody is, you know medical supply, pharmacy, um, rental, any of that. You know shredding, I said earlier here. You know, please reach out, you know find, find us, look us up. I'm Edward Estes. You can probably find me on LinkedIn somewhere.
Speaker 1:And he does respond too. I will respond, he will respond. I'll respond. Yes, sir. So quality care, wonderful vision, people with passion and purpose is what you'll find at Pruitt Health, a wonderful organization that really just. They are all-encompassing right. If you partner with Pruitt Health, you will have what you need, for sure. Yeah absolutely.
Speaker 1:So thank you for joining the platform, man. Yeah, absolutely, it's an honor to have you, and please tune in to Less Than Comfort Podcast, all your favorite platforms. Please subscribe on YouTube. Check us out on CMC Media, on Instagram, comfort Measures Media, on YouTube as well. We're growing here. I know in your leisure time you probably like to check out TikTok and laugh at videos. Be all happy. No, I understand, but we share real knowledge. So in your spare time, give me about an hour, okay, check us out, thank you. Thank you, man.
Speaker 2:Man, I love you. We gotta get and talk, just talk this episode of let's Get.
Speaker 1:Comfy was brought to you by Evolutionary Healthcare. Caring is what we do.
