How physical therapy in Canada parallels the opportunities and threats experienced by therapists and clinic owners in the United States.
By Darryl Yardley, PT
Canada comprises one of the world’s largest landmasses while having one of its smallest population densities. As a result, Canadians and their health care providers must find creative and innovative solutions to complex health problems across a broad set of contexts. For almost 100 years, physical therapists have been an integral part of the Canadian health care system as expert guides in the promotion, restoration, and rehabilitation of physical function and mobility. Many professionals, experts, and futurists agree that the changing world is driven largely by a growing and diversifying population with shifting demands, and an explosion of new technologies. As physical therapists, we need to take a long hard look in the mirror and ask ourselves how we are going to continue to fit within the health care environment of tomorrow. Physical therapy in Canada parallels the opportunities and threats experienced by therapists and clinic owners in the United States. Three common traits can describe the current state of the nation north of the border.
Building blocks for business success.
By Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, cofounder and president of WebPT*
*The author has a vested interest in the subject.
Ten years ago, if you had told me I would be the cofounder of a rapid-growth technology company, I probably would have laughed—and then gotten back to evaluating my patients. I was a physical therapist, after all, and I definitely did not have my sights set on becoming a tech executive. But here I am, coming up on my company’s 10-year anniversary. In the decade since our launch, the electronic medical record (EMR) platform that my cofounder and I originally built specifically for my clinic has become the industry-leading software solution in the rehab therapy market, achieving 30 percent market share1 (and growing to a team of more than 300).
Becoming integrated by getting involved.
By Jarod Hall, PT, DPT, and Mike Connors, PT, DPT, PhD
While we all can agree that a private practice exists to provide healthcare to the members of the area in which it is located, contributing value to the local community is equally important. Simply opening your doors does not necessarily guarantee that you will become an integral part of the community you serve.. Here are a few ideas to help you contribute to your community:
The biggest changes are yet to come.
By David McMullan, PT
In Part 1 of this two-part series on the evolution of the physical therapy industry, we left off about 10 years ago, when the patient population began to decline as a result of increasing copays. At the same time, staff costs started to rise substantially and physical therapists saw a decrease in what they were paid. In Part 2 of this series, we will discuss how physical therapy clinic owners can successfully thrive in this ever-changing health care environment. We will explore how the combination of value-based care, advocacy, an informed patient population, and technology advances have the potential to push the physical therapy industry into a second boom.
The following is an excerpt from a presentation given at the 2017 Graham session.
By Efosa L. Guobadia, PT, DPT
The question of “what I believe” led me on a mental exercise in which I reflected on the past, studied the present, and then glanced ahead at the future. Toeing the line of all three time phases elucidated my deep-down beliefs, how they developed, and how they might evolve.
A mentor of mine in physical therapy school once encouraged me to take to the mountains and valleys after graduation and to maximize life through service and exploration. After getting a job in Chicago in 2010, I began doing service work domestically and internationally in different environments. During those experiences of using my hands, heart, and words to support others on their healing journey, I garnered a better understanding of different people in different environments. In 2015 I took things further. I traveled to 22 countries in eight consecutive months, wanting to capture a mosaic of physical therapy, local service, and different cultures from all over the world. My activities included setting up clinics while mentoring clinicians, consulting with health care and municipality leaders on how to best meet their local needs, and teaching at hospitals. In all of these efforts I did my best to leave something behind and to foster sustainable change. As you would expect, I saw much, I felt much, I learned much.
