Danny Turner, PT
Danny Turner, PT, is the owner of Tri-State Physical Therapy in Bossier City, Louisiana. He can be reached at lwoolman@tristatept.com.
Practice name, Location: Tri-State Physical Therapy, Bossier City, Louisiana; Tri-State Physical Therapy, Shreveport, Louisiana; Owner Pathway Rehabilitation Hospital
Size of practice: 2 outpatient clinics and a rehabilitation hospital
Years in practice: 41 years full of adventure and change
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned? If you keep looking, you can find something to help every patient—listen to every patient. Use every tool in your arsenal and don’t judge the patient before you have completed their treatment. In my early years I thought that I could immediately tell what was going on with the patient. Did this patient truly require treatment? But as I listened and continued to work with every patient, I would begin to see how I could better help them. I’ve always told my staff, “We may not get every patient better, but we can give every patient everything we have to give.” Treatment without compassion goes nowhere.
Describe your essential business philosophy: Healing Hands and Caring Hearts. When you have a caring heart you will have healing hands. I allow our staff the opportunity to complete any continuing education in their interest. I allow our therapists autonomy when deciding on a treatment plan. They listen to the patient and use their skills to determine treatment for their patient.
Describe your management style: Team oriented with input from every employee. I believe this makes for a more contented staff, knowing what they think matters in the larger scheme of things.
How do you measure success? By the comments made to me by patients who have been treated in the clinic. I think this is the measure of success for my business and for me as a company owner. Also, success is providing a great place to work, where families matter and people enjoy coming to work each morning.
Goal yet to be achieved: Going up at the rapture—the ultimate goal.
Toughest decision: Closing clinics when referring orthopedists opened their own physical therapy facility. I wanted to be sure I could keep a company for my long-time employees, as well as a place where I know I would want to come to for therapy.
How do you motivate employees? Treat them as equals—give them a fair wage—give them a wholesome environment to work in.
If you could start over, what would you do differently? Other than spreading out my referral base, I’m not sure I would do anything differently. Every high and low has been an experience that has taught me something, and I have used those experiences to get to this point in my life. Many times you plan and things don’t go the way you think they should, so instead of just scrapping the entire plan you build upon it, making the changes necessary to make the plan work.
Marketing strategy and most successful action: Provide top-quality care—meet the needs of your patients and employees and they will be your best referral sources. Marketing to your existing patients is the best marketing you can do. Recently we have used the fact that “Experience Matters” in our marketing. Our therapists have combined experience of over 121 years. This ranges from one year to 37 years of service. This type of commitment is a great marketing tool.
Unique programs that set us apart from the competition: I believe our spine care program sets us apart from other clinics in our locale. Our therapists are known throughout our area for their excellent spine care program. Our therapists have a high degree of continuing education that makes them excellent in this area. That along with the longevity of our therapists is unique.
Worries for the future of private practice: Always the area of reimbursement, but in our part of Louisiana private practice seems to be thriving. There was a time when there were only a couple of private practice clinics other than Tri-State Physical Therapy, but the competition has really amped up and I welcome it. Competition only makes you want to do better. I think that the future of private practice looks great, but you always seem to fight the reimbursement situation, along with ever-changing regulations.
What do private practitioners need to do to thrive in today’s health care market? Be versatile in all areas of physical therapy and strive to be better than the rest. Private practitioners need to be well educated in the programs they choose to execute, as well as in compliance, employee retention, always striving to become better within their own company. Find what works best for you and your employees, then perfect those things. Everything that works best for your competition may not be the perfect fit for you. Continue to discuss and learn about every program that interests your therapists and your patients and go forward. Learn from others, but always make it your own.