When nurse practitioner Gay Ann Ost, MSN, FNP-C, reflects on her work, she doesn’t talk about titles or milestones, she talks about people. Every home she visits, every story she hears and every conversation she has is why she still enjoys what she does. “I do it because I love it,” she says. “Every door is different. Every person is different. And there’s always a chance to make something better.”
Over the years, she’s practiced in Missouri, Kansas, California and Colorado. She has worked in community clinics, home-based programs and managed health settings. Gay Ann is also fluent in Spanish and has completed medical missions in Guatemala, where she researched how Mayan culture influences childbirth. “That experience changed me,” she says. “It reminded me that health care isn’t just about science, it’s about understanding people and their stories.”
She’s seen health care from almost every angle—clinical, community and cultural—and it shapes how she shows up for members in her role today. “I think all those experiences help me meet people right where they are,” she says. “When I walk into a home, I’m not just looking at charts or medications, I’m looking at the whole person.”
That perspective is part of what makes her work with Signify Health so meaningful. She appreciates that the in-home model gives her the time to listen, observe and educate. “When you go into someone’s home, you see the truth,” she says. “You see how they live, what support they might need and how their environment affects their health.”
Every visit, she says, is an opportunity to connect and help members better understand their own health. Whether that means explaining a medication, talking through a nutrition plan or answering questions about preventive screenings, Gay Ann focuses on making sure each member feels informed and empowered. “Education is one of the most powerful things we can give,” she says. “Sometimes it’s just a small conversation that helps someone feel more confident about managing their health.”
For Signify Health, clinicians like Gay Ann embody what In-Home Health Evaluations (IHEs) are meant to be: connection, education and trust. She shows that when clinicians like her are given the time to truly listen, members benefit in ways that go far beyond a single visit.
Even outside of work, Gay Ann continues to help others. She volunteers with Street Dog Coalition, assisting veterinarians who provide veterinary support to pets of people experiencing homelessness. She lives in a vibrant community in Denver, plays golf, spends time with her grandchildren, and adores her two Boston terriers.
“I’m loving where I am now,” she says. “It’s been a ride—but a beautiful ride.”
Are you a clinician interested in helping health plan members gain a more comprehensive view of their health? To learn more about opportunities with Signify Health, visit our clinical careers page.