Steve Blakeman Interview
At Checkpoint EHR from Integrity Support, our mission is to provide unparalleled electronic health record services and software for the behavioral health industry. Through leadership and faith, we offer simple and effective solutions to behavioral health agencies so that they can focus on helping people heal.
Integrity Support was founded in 2005 by Steve Blakeman, a man who has dedicated his life to serving others. As someone who was involved in Christian ministry, Steve understood what it meant to serve, and he applied that knowledge when starting Integrity Support and Checkpoint EHR. We recently sat down with Steve to get his insight on the beginnings of Integrity Support and where the company is now.
How Did Integrity Support Begin?
Steve Blakeman: “The story of Integrity Support can’t be told without mentioning the ministry another gentleman and I started in 2001 called Servants With A Tool (S.W.A.T). I wanted to have more flexibility and time to devote to the ministry — so I began to pray. Shortly after the opportunity to start Integrity came along. I never thought I would have my own business, but I had the knowledge, I had the skills and I had the contacts. So, I started the company by helping providers get their practices started.”
How Does Checkpoint EHR Help Its Customers?
SB: “We have some skills and resources that our customers don’t have. They have needs in those areas, and we can provide that through Checkpoint EHR. It can help them get over a mountain, get more organized, be more efficient, and grow their businesses. It can help those business owners to realize their dreams because of what Checkpoint and the staff can do for them. I hope that when people sign up with us they see that we are who we say we are, and that we can help them like we know we can. I hope their lives are changed professionally and personally because we’ve helped them expand and helped them open new doors. If our customers’ lives are better, we hope, it means that their clients’ lives would also be positively impacted.”
What Does It Mean to Serve Others?
SB: “Serving is becoming aware of the needs and the desires of other people, and then setting about asking, ‘How can I help meet those needs? What do I have in my tool belt that others need, that they don’t have access to?’ Serving requires selflessness, some sacrifice, giving of your time, your talents, etc. Serving is a way to make an impact where you can see on the face of the recipient that they truly are appreciative and the giver has had some sacrifice involved. It’s just a really neat thing. We want our company to be known as people that will go out of their way and go the extra mile to help others. We want to do what we can to build our customers up. Without fail whenever I find myself engaged in helping someone else, I walk away feeling a lot better.”
Steve & Joe's Philosophy
SB: “There came a time in 2013 when i thought, ‘This company is getting bigger than just me.’ At that time, Joe [Murphy] and I had absolute trust in one another, so I asked him to partner with me in the business. Before I retired, Joe and I would meet every Wednesday afternoon at different restaurants and that was our staff meeting. We would enjoy a meal together and just talk about business as needed. Joe knew exactly what to do and how to make it happen. Joe heard the idea of giving employees paid time off to volunteer, he brought the idea to me and I immediately thought it was great. I thought, ‘Why didn’t I think of this before?’ That is truly in line with mine and Joe’s philosophy of how we do life — serving others and looking for opportunities to meet needs. The Lord just opened the doors at the right time. It’s been great for us, our employees, and our customers. It’s been a fantastic situation [Integrity Support]; it’s been far more than I could have ever dreamed.”
