SpineNevada: Small providers/insurers

SpineNevada Minimally Invasive Spine Institute in Reno had 30 employees last summer. This summer, it was up to more than 70. By year-end, practice manager Debbie Koch expects the neck and back pain treatment centers to have more than 80 employees at four locations. You might think that rapid growth would be, well, a pain in the neck.

But employees consider the fast-growing company a great place to work precisely because its owner, neurosurgeon Dr. James Lynch, keeps looking for new challenges, and new ways to challenge employees to reach their potential, Koch said. The institute started out mostly treating back pain, but has added vascular treatment, and, recently, a new physical therapist focused on treating women.

The growth means staff members have the chance, and a push, to learn new things, and the company is committed to providing the training employees might need, Koch said.

"We bring you on board and train you for that position, cross-train you for other positions—all the while you are developing your skills, making yourself a stronger employee," Koch wrote in a recent email to staff that she shared. "We expect you to be better than the person down the street ... because we are willing to invest in you as a person."

SpineNevada Minimally Invasive Spine Institute is No. 2 among small providers/insurers on Modern Healthcare's list of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare for 2016 and No. 35 overall.

The company has many employee-friendly policies, including bonuses and flexible hours to allow for things like school events and doctor appointments. There's also a popular Halloween costume potluck. But the chance for professional advancement in a fast-changing organization is what drives many who work there.

"People grow with our growth," Koch said.