Donald Physiotherapy

By Véronique Loewen

Being recognized as the SABEX Business of the Year is no small feat. It takes planning, excellence in operations, strategic execution and a commitment to continuous improvement. The SABEX Business of the Year is truly one that has set the highest standards, achieved success, enhanced the Saskatoon business landscape and contributed to the wellbeing of the community as a whole. This year, Donald Physiotherapy is that business.

Being recognized as the SABEX Business of the Year is no small feat. It takes planning, excellence in operations, strategic execution and a commitment to continuous improvement. The SABEX Business of the Year is truly one that has set the highest standards, achieved success, enhanced the Saskatoon business landscape and contributed to the wellbeing of the community as a whole. This year, Donald Physiotherapy is that business.

From the start of their business seven years ago, Trevor and Michelle Donald have focused on excellence, the key to improving their patients’ quality of life. Starting small as a one man show with Trevor running a clinic independently as the sole physiotherapist, administrator, financial officer and marketing manager, they have grown steadily into a two-location business – in Saskatoon and Davidson - with thirteen employees.

So, what’s the secret of their amazing success in such a short span? As they tell their clients when talking about injury recovery “it is linked to finding your ‘why’ and striving to achieve it through hard work. There are no shortcuts, there are no cheats or hacks.” There is demanding work and a commitment to safety, service, community investment, Indigenous relations, growth and entrepreneurial spirit.

Committed to Safety Donald Physiotherapy’s Client Life Cycle approach is all about safety. It means that at every touchpoint with the client, from the very first phone call, through the assessment and the treatments, they make sure that their safety and wellbeing is the focus. “For us, both staff and clients are family. It’s not just a term that we use lightly, it is a sentiment that guides how we treat each other and everyone. We demonstrate it through everything we do to promote and deliver family-oriented wellness programs for greater prevention of illness and medical issues in the very young and old,” says Michelle Donald, owner and physiotherapist.

Image: Sik Pics

Trevor and Michelle also demonstrate their focus on the safety of their employees through initiatives such as the weekly availability of healthy snack options in their lunchroom, the offer of regular mental health seminars and a multifaceted wellness program, and an Employee and Family Assistance Program. Further, the ergonomics in their clinics benefit not only their clinicians but also the patients. For example, the high-low adjustable treatment beds with foot pedal adjustments allow the patients to access the bed with ease and prevents awkward positioning of the therapists while treating the clients. It is thanks to these types of measures that, to date, Donald Physiotherapy can boast never having any lost time due to a workplace injury.

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic heightened the need and type of safety measures. In hindsight, Trevor Donald sees many of these measures as progress for staff and clients safety. Aside from forcing some physical changes to their workplace, such as new PPE and sanitizing requirements, installing plexiglass shields and reorganizing client flow through the clinic, it sped up the expansion of their use of technology. “We increased our use of virtual platforms for client assessments and treatment during the lockdown and since the reopening of our facilities, we have continued to offer high quality patient care remotely,” says Michelle. “We have been able to engage with clients far outside of the brick-and-mortar reach of our clinics.”

Committed to Service, Community and Indigenous Relations Donald Physiotherapy’s services start with their Client Life Cycle approach. Their patient experience coordinator guides the patients’ journey. The physiotherapists assess clients and work with them to determine their “why,” or simply put the results they hope to achieve, and design a plan to educate and treat them. Whether their clients come for physiotherapy, pelvic floor physiotherapy, acupuncture, dry needling, strength and conditioning services or for a fitting

and purchase of compression socks, their focus is on providing a unique experience through which the clients can regain or enhance their health and wellness. And they also offer educational seminars for employers interested in identifying injury risks, patterns and develop effective preventative approaches.

Donald Physiotherapy helps patients recover from accidents or sport and everyday injuries. They also help them address back, shoulder and jaw pain, manage arthritis and osteoporosis and even pregnancy care. Regardless of the type of service they provide, their commitment to helping patients does not stop at the doors of their clinics. Trevor, Michelle and their team offer a variety of free online seminars available for everyone to attend live virtually or watch later on their website or social media platforms. Their free online educational workshops and YouTube exercise videos promoting physical activity for children and seniors have had a resounding success, so much so that Shaw Cable TV approached them to air their videos on its channel. Their Polar Bear Walking Club consists of weekly walks led by a physiotherapist on local trails while providing tips and advice such as the benefits of Nordic Pole walking. And Donald Physiotherapy’s “Coffee With a Physio” is a free 15-minute Zoom call with one of their physiotherapists to discuss an area of concern and determine whether physiotherapy might be appropriate for the individual.

Michelle also explains that “the shift to virtual assessment and therapy opportunities has allowed us to become a provider of physiotherapy services to remote northern Saskatchewan Indigenous communities, where distance and costly travel are often a barrier to care. Now our clinicians can get a clear understanding of the living environment of their northern clients, which allows them to better incorporate their treatment within the context of their communities and traditions.”

Beyond their extracurricular community engagement programs, they also invest in community organizations campaigns and programs such as the C95 Radio Marathon for Breast Cancer Research and the Raj Manek mentorship program. “Trevor and I were protégés in the Raj Manek program and have benefited greatly from the mentorship we received. So, I was honoured to be asked to become a mentor this year and truly happy to pay it forward by helping someone else grow their business in Saskatoon,” says Michelle. Donald Physiotherapy’s team does not limit its commitment to working with children to their online presence and in-clinic patients. It extends to assisting with health and wellness initiatives at local schools such as the Stonebridge, St. Kateri and Chief Whitecap Elementary schools. “Our involvement with these schools is definitely not a one-way street; in the process, we learn about the history of the Whitecap territory, Indigenous traditions and culture and novel approaches to create space and respectful relationships with Indigenous clients and community members,” remarks Michelle.

Committed to Growth and Entrepreneurial Spirit Like most business owners, Trevor and Michelle spent many days wondering how the business would fare in the early days of the pandemic when the first shutdown limited revenues. Their adaptability, innovations and ability to quickly implement virtual services and increase their free educational programs paid off as their accelerated growth continued despite the pandemic. The increased demand for physiotherapy services in 2021 has resulted in a 40% combined increase in clinicians and administrative staff and a projected 28% increase in revenue compared to 2020 and 2019. “This growth in staff means that we need about 75% more clinical space in the coming months,” says Trevor.

Michelle and Trevor haven’t quite decided yet whether they will expand their existing space or create a second clinical space in Saskatoon, but they are clear on one thing, they are determined to continue to grow and contribute to their local and provincial economies. Trevor says, “We are doing our best to contribute to job creation in Saskatoon and at our satellite location in Davidson. We also make every effort possible to purchase the additional equipment and supplies we need through local Saskatchewan businesses.”

Donald Physiotherapy’s focus on customer service, community support and operational excellence truly exemplifies what it takes to become the 2021 SABEX Business of The Year. “We are truly grateful for the recognition of our efforts by the business community. It is truly a testament to the dedication of our staff and our continued desire to put our clients and the community first as we innovate to provide the utmost care and support whether in person, in our clinics, or online,” concludes Michelle. www.donaldphysiotherapy.com

We increased our use of virtual platforms for client assessments and treatment during the lockdown and since the reopening of our facilities, we have continued to offer high quality patient care remotely. We have been able to engage with clients far outside of the brick-and-mortar reach of our clinics.

Michelle Donald, Owner and Physiotherapist Donald Physiotherapy

Image: Sik Pics