Kelli Cody, Case Manager at Innovive Health, has been named a 2024 Frontline Honors honoree by Home Health Care News.

To become a Frontline honoree, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be:

  • A dedicated, high-performing frontline worker who delivers exceptional experiences and outcomes
  • A passionate worker who knows how to put their vision into for the good of their respective industry, the patients and residents they serve, and their families
  • An advocate for their industry and their fellow colleagues

Home Health Care News recently caught up with Cody to discuss their time in the home health & home care industry.

HHCN: What drew you to this industry?

Cody: Before becoming a nurse, I worked as a flight attendant and corporate travel agent. After 9/11, the corporate travel industry slowed down significantly, and the government offered financial support to learn new professions. I was encouraged to pursue nursing by close friends and family who believed I had the perfect personality for it. I attended LPN school and have now been a nurse for over 20 years. What started as a practical career shift quickly became a true calling, as I find deep fulfillment in the compassion, humanity, and ability to help others that comes with the job. Despite my career change, I still love to travel!

HHCN: What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting to work in the industry?

Cody: One of the biggest lessons I have learned as a nurse is the importance of advocating for my patients. Innovive Health focuses on treating patients who have multiple medical comorbidities with complicating behavioral illness. I have seen firsthand that many patients, especially those in vulnerable situations, don’t have the confidence or ability to speak up for themselves. Whether it’s ensuring they receive the right treatment, addressing concerns that might be overlooked, or simply being their voice in difficult moments, I know that strong advocacy can make a life-changing difference. Advocacy isn’t just about medical care, it’s about listening, understanding, and standing up for patients as if they were family. By building trust and truly hearing their needs, I can help provide them with the dignity, respect, and quality care they deserve.

HHCN: What’s your favorite part about your job?

Cody: My favorite part of the job is making meaningful impacts on patients’ lives, even in the smallest ways. I find it incredibly fulfilling to build trust with patients, especially those who feel anxious or vulnerable. Over the years, I have had many moments that reinforced the significance of my work – from saving someone who had overdosed and helping them quit drugs, to ensuring terminally ill patients’ requests are honored and fulfilled.

HHCN: What do you want the general public to better understand about your job and the industry you serve?

Cody: I wish the general public understood how widespread and deeply human the struggles that my behavioral health patients deal with on a regular basis. People don’t often understand how common mental illness is. It affects people from all walks of life, often in ways that aren’t immediately visible, and its impact extends beyond the individual to families, communities, and the healthcare system as a whole. 

HHCN: What’s something that you wish other people in your organization – particularly leaders who don’t work on the frontlines – understood better about your job?

Cody: For those in the organization who don’t work on the frontlines, I hope they recognize how important it is for nurses to have as much information as possible when admitting a new patient. Understanding their history, past experiences, and potential triggers can make all the difference in providing safe and effective care. Any details that administration can provide are deeply appreciated.