Charles Kimbrough Jr., Carolyn Jones and Glenda Provost, from left, discuss new service mailings in Kimbrough's office at C.J. Enterprises. The company is taking on a new initiative with doctors and medical providers.C.J. ENTERPRISES• Created: 1980• Founder: Carolyn G. Jones• Headquarters: Chattanooga• Employees: 80; 10 in corporate office• Revenues: Targeting a 25 percent rise annuallySource: Company
One of Chattanooga's biggest minority-owned companies is expanding its offerings for doctors' offices and other health care providers.
While C.J. Enterprises Inc. has provided health records information management services since its start more than 30 years ago, the new offerings will broaden the company's scope.
"It's a new focus," said H. Charles Kimbrough Jr., the company's chief executive officer. "We're taking all the years' experience in health information and the government and the information technology arena and providing it to doctors."
He said the company, which has a large presence in government records management, is offering its expertise as physician offices become more electronic. Kimbrough said the business will provide both hardware and software solutions and act as a vendor liaison.
He said the business also is offering training and staffing solutions.
"When you start trying something new, productivity can go down," Kimbrough said.
John R. Rouser, C.J. Enterprises' solutions manager, said doctors' offices already may have taken some steps in terms of technology.
"We may come in and do security," he said. "We can be the total package or be part of it, too."
Carolyn G. Jones, the founder, president and namesake of C.J. Enterprises, said the new initiatives are being driven by government and insurer efforts to move doctors, dentists, hospitals and other health care providers to electronic medical records to save time and money. Such record changes were promoted by the Bush administration and also are a part of President Barack Obama's health care reform plan.
"President Obama wants to drive down health care costs," Jones said, adding that moving ahead with more technology in the health care sector can help meet that goal.
Jones said rural health care centers are seen as a potential market as well as doctors' offices.
She said the company, which now employs 80 people in the South and Midwest, could grow by up to 30 jobs within three to five years. Revenues could jump 25 percent a year, Jones said, though she declined to give a dollar figure.
C.J. Enterprises is staffing up and investing in equipment and in training "to provide a one-stop shop for physicians. We're creating win-win synergies," Kimbrough said.