NOVEMBER 2022
FALL MANAGEMENT MEETING
October 20th kicked off PTSMC’s Annual Fall Management Meeting. The event is an opportunity for PTSMC’s leadership to gather and collaborate for an extended period of time to focus on making our organization a better place for our people and those we serve. I always get to the meeting early because I enjoy watching our people reconnect with each other. The energy, the laughter and the joy are palpable!
Highlights of the meeting included time spent with administrative leaders. Our most impressive guest presenters were our very own! Juliann Chacko on the student program, Danielle Dunn on clinical excellence and Melissa Boutagy on clinical compliance. We also did a “Cracker Barrel” activity where partners and directors spent time with administrative leadership from different departments. The activity is designed to focus twenty minutes on one topic in a small group and move on. • Sandra Boccialetti (Human Resources) discussed retention strategies. • Kristen Forster (Operations) concentrated on remote services. • David Lawrence (Information Technologies) discussed security and devices. • Sara Gareiss (Practice Liaisons) facilitated conversation around the expanded role of practice liaisons. • Marilex Santiago (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) helped everyone to understand the nature of bias. • Ryan Balavender (Facilities) explored the best practices to maximize clinical space. We also spent an hour viewing a technology-based presentation with an outside vendor. The basic premise is that technologies exist and are rapidly expanding in the healthcare space with the goal of “leveraging” human talent. Companies that are willing to embrace some of these changes will be more effective and efficient in the future. We also spent time discussing and revising our incentive programs. Incentive programs impact almost everyone at PTSMC and are challenging to design and administer. We are taking steps to make our measures easier to understand, pay with more frequency and are achievable. Our goal is to provide a system that is fair and transparent. A large block of time was spent taking a look back and a look forward. Leadership was reminded of and reviewed our five-year plan created at year end 2017. At that time, we challenged ourselves as an organization to “double in five years.”
The measures that most easily translate to a successful and growing physical therapy company are new patients and visits. They are the drivers of virtually everything else. At year-end in 2017, PTSMC cared for 15,204 new patients and provided 174,480 visits. At the time, it was our best year ever! In order to achieve our goal of doubling by the end of 2022, PTSMC needed to grow an average of 14%, year over year, for five straight years. We had never set a five-year plan and I remember thinking about all the people, processes and small victories this plan required to have any chance at being real. This was a bold plan for us.
IN THIS ISSUE Clinician’s Corner by Bernie Lapaan, Avon & Wethersfield Physical Therapist Prevention Program and Throwing Injuries in Youth Baseball Players 2023 PTSMC Sponsored Courses Survey Results HR Buzz D4D & Goals and Objectives Preferred or Chosen Name in ADP Connecticut Paid Leave
How did we do? In the past five years PTSMC has added eight new locations via start up and an additional four clinics through acquisition. Our continued growth allows us to “improve the quality” of more lives in all the communities we serve. In addition, a healthy PTSMC creates greater opportunities for our people to learn, grow and take on new responsibilities and positions.
Employee Spotlight Harrison Picard, Fairfield Physical Therapist Assistant
Despite going through an unplanned pandemic, when we project forward to the end of 2022, it looks like we will be very close to our 2017 goals. We are projected to end the year 0.6% short of our new patient goal and 0.1% shy of our visit goal! Come December 31st, we expect to serve 30,408 new patients (-197 from double 2017) and provide 348,960 visits (585 short of double 2017).
DEI: Resources for Education on DEI By Marilex Santiago
Money Beat: Student Loan Forgiveness Site Opens Application of Forgiveness By Jim Hungerford
StriveHub Fab 5
“Each time I have visited for my issue it has been a valuable experience. We have done a variety of After absorbing this success story, we spent time visioning the next five exercises and treatments to help me with my issue, years: What does PTSMC look like in 5 years? What three things must and I was also given a printout of exercises to do at PTSMC start doing to be successful? What three things must PTSMC stop home between visits. I feel it is making a difference doing to achieve our goals? in my level of discomfort - at times there is even no pain at all. All of the staff are all welcoming, I have often said the COVID pandemic was my first, we had no playbook and encouraging and very knowledgeable.” - Guilford COVID is still creating a more challenging business environment than I could have imagined. “Liz (Veilleux) was very knowledgeable regarding my son's pain in the leg. She was able to diagnose it Spending time with the partners and directors working on PTSMC was accurately and taught the right exercises. We saw exhilarating and fun. I am humbled and astonished by what this group has improvement in a week. The pain is gone now! She accomplished. I also, know that it takes more than leadership to be is also personable and so we feel comfortable successful. I thank you for your dedication and commitment to PTSMC and sharing our concerns.” - West Hartford those we serve. As I consider the “next five” I am confident that our people “Tom (Kirsch) actually listens before he imparts will continue to be the key to our success! his deep knowledge by communicating clearly. I also like the friendliness, which is not only Thanks, welcoming but encouraging.” - Avon
Alan
Wallingford Open House
November 17th from 4-7pm Join us for food, drinks, raffles, and fun to celebrate Wallingford’s one year anniversary at their new location. RSVP to Emily at Emily.Fillion@ptsmc.com by Monday, November 14th.
“Camille (Mogelnicki) at the front desk is the best. She is kind, happy, patient, a real gem!! And Michael (Popolizio) made a great connection with my son, helping him with his exercises while talking to him about his day, his interests, etc and making him feel very comfortable. He was kind and patient as well! Would recommend this facility to anyone!” - Glastonbury ”They are very thorough and very caring. Everyone knows therapy, and especially intense therapy, can be very painful and uncomfortable. They are very considerate of this. I am 73 years old and my pain level is not what it use to be. They take all of this into consideration and work according to how you are feeling that day” - Danielson