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Delivering quality preventive care to health plan members nationwide starts long before any in-home visit takes place. Here at Retina Labs, it often begins with a simple, yet meaningful conversation with members by phone. Carly Rye, one of our valued Lead Member Outreach & Scheduling Specialists based in Memphis, Tennessee, plays a vital role in connecting health plan members to our essential preventive screening services that help close critical HEDIS gaps in care.
From Operations Leadership to Purpose-Driven Outreach
Carly’s path into the healthcare space was built on a solid foundation of leadership and operational excellence. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Memphis, she began her career coordinating in-home personal care services for local a hospice organization. Over time, she leveraged her experiences and skillsets to step into a Director of Operations role, where she oversaw everything from staffing and scheduling to compliance, billing, and day-to-day care delivery operations.
Carly’s transition into her current role at Retina Labs was largely driven by the desire for increased flexibility and work-life balance, but what she ultimately found was something much more meaningful.
“I was looking for a work-from-home opportunity that allowed me to balance my career with being a mom first and foremost,” Carly shares. “I initially joined Retina Labs for the flexibility my position offers, but I continued to stay because of the people, support from leadership, and how much I truly enjoy the challenging nature this line of work brings each day.”
Turning Effective Member Outreach into Positive Long-Term Impacts on Health
In her current role as Lead Member Outreach & Scheduling Specialist, Carly serves on the front lines of our engagement team where she connects with individuals who may not otherwise have access to receiving critical preventive screenings like diabetic eye exams and at-home lab testing solutions.
Her daily work focuses on proactive outreach, coordinating in-home visits, and helping members stay connected to care. While the responsibilities themselves may be familiar, it’s her consistent, thoughtful approach to every interaction that truly distinguishes her.
“A big part of my day is centered around communication and teamwork,” Carly explains. “We’re constantly working together to ensure all of our health plan clients’ members are supported and scheduled in a coordinated way that not only makes sense for them, but also for our field team resources.”
In addition to handling outreach logistics, Carly approaches every call by balancing professionalism with empathy to ensure that Retina Labs creates a positive, trustworthy experience while adhering to strict HIPPA-compliant privacy standards for members.
Building Trust to Overcome Access to Care Barriers for Members
One of the biggest challenges in a member-facing role begins with earning their trust, especially when members are hesitant to engage with our scheduling team over the phone. Carly meets this skepticism head-on by leading with transparency, warmth, and patience.
“A lot of members are extremely cautious and reluctant to speak with us at first,” she says. “Remaining friendly, educational, and informative puts those same members at ease so they feel comfortable and develop a clear understanding of how we’re helping them.”
This level of trust slowly being built with each member over time becomes the gateway to something much bigger and more important to their overall well-being: improving access to preventive care.
Through her work, Carly has helped countless members take the crucial first steps toward achieving better health outcomes for themselves. Whether it’s uncovering overlooked health plan benefits or providing assistance to overcome accessibility challenges, she finds the greatest fulfillment in equipping members with the knowledge they need to progress on their own personal care journeys with confidence.
“From that first initial outreach call to clearly communicating important health insights, it really shows the immense impact of what Retina Labs does,” Carly explains. “Seeing it all come full circle is just one of the incredibly rewarding outcomes this role provides.”
Strengthening Health Plan Partnerships & Program Performance Through Member-Centric Experiences
Every interaction Carly has with members serves as a reflection of the strong reputation Retina Labs has built through our health plan client partnerships.This commitment to consistently delivering and supporting member-centric experiences helps reinforce the level of trust necessary to connect with many hard-to-reach member populations.
“Providing a positive experience and maintaining consistent lines of communication helps build confidence in who we are as a company,” Carly explains. “It shows that we’re dependable and truly lead with a member-first mentality throughout the various local communities we reach each day.”
A Thriving Culture Fueled by Growth & Collaboration
What stands out most to Carly in her role is the company culture fostered here at Retina Labs. She describes it as a collaborative, supportive environment full of opportunities for growth and development, where taking initiative as a team leader is greatly encouraged.
In addition to her core responsibilities, Carly has stepped into an expanded role as a trainer to help onboard and mentor new hires for our growing Outreach Specialist team.
“I’ve had the chance to help develop many new team members and watch them become strong contributors,” she says. “That’s been one of the most gratifying parts of my career growth and leadership journey here.”
The company’s ongoing investments in tools, training, and continuous improvement also play a key role in her position’s success.
“Retina Labs places a strong emphasis on gathering employee feedback to help shape the direction of the company as a whole,” Carly notes.“That approach helps us stay competitive as a top place to work while simultaneously delivering a better experience for the members we reach.”
Tips for Success as an Outreach Specialist
For those considering a similar role, Carly emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and practicing consistency.
“Lead with kindness, stay organized, and be a self-starter that doesn’t wait to take direction from others,” she advises. “If you show up every day and put your best foot forward on every member phone call you make, it will definitely pay off in the long run to further your career.”
Making Healthcare More Human
At the heart of Carly’s role lies a simple yet fundamental belief: healthcare begins and ends with people.
“It’s much more than just providing care delivery services – it’s about making people feel seen, supported, and cared for holistically,” she says. “Seemingly small interactions can create a lasting impact that goes well beyond what you originally set out to achieve.”
We’re proud to recognize Carly’s dedication to expanding access to care while delivering thoughtful, member-centric interactions that reflect the values we strive to uphold here at Retina Labs. Her commitment and compassion continues to help our health plan clients meet their quality improvement goals to ensure better health outcomes for the members we collectively serve.
Interested in joining the Retina Labs team to help support health plans and their members? Visit our Careers page below for more information on current position openings:
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