Re: wait times to new evaluations

[Guest guest]

(Now beating a dead horse)

In attempts to tie the last few posts of , , and (commitment

and professionalism) to the original post regarding long wait times for initial

visits, the following experiment would probably prove my point that employees

and owners are inherently different. And, that difference does not make an

owner or the employee inherently good or bad.

At the next meeting, tell your therapists for the next two months they will be

getting one additional new patient added to the end of their normal working day

in attempts to meet both the needs of the patients and the needs of the clinic.

Tell them there will be financial sharing of the additional profits brought in

as a compensation for their additional effort. Observe the responses.

After one month, call another meeting and thank the therapists for their

demonstration of commitment and professionalism. Then, proceed to tell them

that the financial sharing of their additional efforts will be removed for the

second month but they will still have one new patient added to the end of their

normal working day. In addition, (as hopes) tell your P.T.s that

" their ability to work in a facility that they enjoy and in a profession that

they find rewarding SHOULD BE INCENTIVE ENOUGH to share in the viability of the

facility. "

You will almost certainly see an evaporation of the commitment and

professionalism that you saw demonstrated during the first month of your

experiment. Human nature dictates that this would be true.

Professionals who hold Masters and Doctorate level degrees are generally

intelligent people.

When you treat a worker as an employee, they will usually act like employees.

When you treat a worker as more like a co-owner, you will get a worker that acts

more like an owner.

These are not value statements but a simple observation of human nature. An

employee is not inherently bad because he/she does not act like an owner.

Jon Mark Pleasant, PT

> > > > >

> > > > > Your point is well taken Matt. I do agree that some PT’s who work

for hospitals (and some private practices) do not have the private practice

owner commitment that you have just shared. I was in private practice myself

and my patients appreciated it when I came in early or stayed late. I don’t

think this should become an argument over who is better. There are good PT’s

and bad PT’s everywhere.

> > > > >

> > > > > From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ] On

Behalf Of acceleratedptbsl@

> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 9:51 AM

> > > > > To: PTManager

> > > > > Subject: Re: Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > Okay, case in point. Had a patient telephone us Monday and schedule an

appointment. We offered Tuesday but he chose to come in Wednesday. I normally

start seeing patient';s at 8 am and close at 7pm, three days a week. But to

accommodate I offered to take this eval at 6:30 (probably keeping me here until

7:30 pm with treatment, not including the paperwork at the end of the day), and

he said " Thank you, the hospital's therapy dept. said they could not get me in

until July 28th " .

> > > > >

> > > > > Matt Capo, PT

> > > > > Accelerated Physical Therapy and Occupational Health, Inc.

> > > > > Bay St. Louis and Diamondhead, Mississippi

> > > > >

> > > > > Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > >

> > > > > Matt,

> > > > > I take some offense with your assumption that hospital based OP

therapy depts don't strive to get people in quickly. I work in that world and we

strive to do the same thing for patients that you do.

> > > > >

> > > > > Lindberg, PT

> > > > > Avista Adventist Hospital

> > > > > Louisville, CO

> > > > >

> > > > >

[Guest guest]

(Now beating a dead horse)

In attempts to tie the last few posts of , , and (commitment

and professionalism) to the original post regarding long wait times for initial

visits, the following experiment would probably prove my point that employees

and owners are inherently different. And, that difference does not make an

owner or the employee inherently good or bad.

At the next meeting, tell your therapists for the next two months they will be

getting one additional new patient added to the end of their normal working day

in attempts to meet both the needs of the patients and the needs of the clinic.

Tell them there will be financial sharing of the additional profits brought in

as a compensation for their additional effort. Observe the responses.

After one month, call another meeting and thank the therapists for their

demonstration of commitment and professionalism. Then, proceed to tell them

that the financial sharing of their additional efforts will be removed for the

second month but they will still have one new patient added to the end of their

normal working day. In addition, (as hopes) tell your P.T.s that

" their ability to work in a facility that they enjoy and in a profession that

they find rewarding SHOULD BE INCENTIVE ENOUGH to share in the viability of the

facility. "

You will almost certainly see an evaporation of the commitment and

professionalism that you saw demonstrated during the first month of your

experiment. Human nature dictates that this would be true.

Professionals who hold Masters and Doctorate level degrees are generally

intelligent people.

When you treat a worker as an employee, they will usually act like employees.

When you treat a worker as more like a co-owner, you will get a worker that acts

more like an owner.

These are not value statements but a simple observation of human nature. An

employee is not inherently bad because he/she does not act like an owner.

Jon Mark Pleasant, PT

> > > > >

> > > > > Your point is well taken Matt. I do agree that some PT’s who work

for hospitals (and some private practices) do not have the private practice

owner commitment that you have just shared. I was in private practice myself

and my patients appreciated it when I came in early or stayed late. I don’t

think this should become an argument over who is better. There are good PT’s

and bad PT’s everywhere.

> > > > >

> > > > > From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ] On

Behalf Of acceleratedptbsl@

> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 9:51 AM

> > > > > To: PTManager

> > > > > Subject: Re: Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > Okay, case in point. Had a patient telephone us Monday and schedule an

appointment. We offered Tuesday but he chose to come in Wednesday. I normally

start seeing patient';s at 8 am and close at 7pm, three days a week. But to

accommodate I offered to take this eval at 6:30 (probably keeping me here until

7:30 pm with treatment, not including the paperwork at the end of the day), and

he said " Thank you, the hospital's therapy dept. said they could not get me in

until July 28th " .

> > > > >

> > > > > Matt Capo, PT

> > > > > Accelerated Physical Therapy and Occupational Health, Inc.

> > > > > Bay St. Louis and Diamondhead, Mississippi

> > > > >

> > > > > Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > >

> > > > > Matt,

> > > > > I take some offense with your assumption that hospital based OP

therapy depts don't strive to get people in quickly. I work in that world and we

strive to do the same thing for patients that you do.

> > > > >

> > > > > Lindberg, PT

> > > > > Avista Adventist Hospital

> > > > > Louisville, CO

> > > > >

> > > > >

[Guest guest]

(Now beating a dead horse)

In attempts to tie the last few posts of , , and (commitment

and professionalism) to the original post regarding long wait times for initial

visits, the following experiment would probably prove my point that employees

and owners are inherently different. And, that difference does not make an

owner or the employee inherently good or bad.

At the next meeting, tell your therapists for the next two months they will be

getting one additional new patient added to the end of their normal working day

in attempts to meet both the needs of the patients and the needs of the clinic.

Tell them there will be financial sharing of the additional profits brought in

as a compensation for their additional effort. Observe the responses.

After one month, call another meeting and thank the therapists for their

demonstration of commitment and professionalism. Then, proceed to tell them

that the financial sharing of their additional efforts will be removed for the

second month but they will still have one new patient added to the end of their

normal working day. In addition, (as hopes) tell your P.T.s that

" their ability to work in a facility that they enjoy and in a profession that

they find rewarding SHOULD BE INCENTIVE ENOUGH to share in the viability of the

facility. "

You will almost certainly see an evaporation of the commitment and

professionalism that you saw demonstrated during the first month of your

experiment. Human nature dictates that this would be true.

Professionals who hold Masters and Doctorate level degrees are generally

intelligent people.

When you treat a worker as an employee, they will usually act like employees.

When you treat a worker as more like a co-owner, you will get a worker that acts

more like an owner.

These are not value statements but a simple observation of human nature. An

employee is not inherently bad because he/she does not act like an owner.

Jon Mark Pleasant, PT

> > > > >

> > > > > Your point is well taken Matt. I do agree that some PT’s who work

for hospitals (and some private practices) do not have the private practice

owner commitment that you have just shared. I was in private practice myself

and my patients appreciated it when I came in early or stayed late. I don’t

think this should become an argument over who is better. There are good PT’s

and bad PT’s everywhere.

> > > > >

> > > > > From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ] On

Behalf Of acceleratedptbsl@

> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 9:51 AM

> > > > > To: PTManager

> > > > > Subject: Re: Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > Okay, case in point. Had a patient telephone us Monday and schedule an

appointment. We offered Tuesday but he chose to come in Wednesday. I normally

start seeing patient';s at 8 am and close at 7pm, three days a week. But to

accommodate I offered to take this eval at 6:30 (probably keeping me here until

7:30 pm with treatment, not including the paperwork at the end of the day), and

he said " Thank you, the hospital's therapy dept. said they could not get me in

until July 28th " .

> > > > >

> > > > > Matt Capo, PT

> > > > > Accelerated Physical Therapy and Occupational Health, Inc.

> > > > > Bay St. Louis and Diamondhead, Mississippi

> > > > >

> > > > > Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > >

> > > > > Matt,

> > > > > I take some offense with your assumption that hospital based OP

therapy depts don't strive to get people in quickly. I work in that world and we

strive to do the same thing for patients that you do.

> > > > >

> > > > > Lindberg, PT

> > > > > Avista Adventist Hospital

> > > > > Louisville, CO

> > > > >

> > > > >

[Guest guest]

,

Your points are well taken. We do, in fact, offer a bonus structure for our

salaried therapists that directly compensates them on a monthly basis for every

patient they see over the 91% productivity rate. We also, on a yearly basis,

look at wage/salary/benefit package vs. the amount of revenue generated by each

therapist. In our 10 years in business we have learned that paying the

therapist a w/s/b package that equals between 40-45% of what they brings in

covers overhead. If they fall below 40% we raise their salary or pay a

productivity bonus. If they go much above 45% we have a discussion about ways

to improve their productivity in the following year and they obviously do not

see a salary increase. This is how we work to instill a sense of ownership in

each therapist, they can see a direct relationship between patients seen and

revenue generated both personally and for the facility.

Finally. as professionals, we should all have a sense of " ownership " over our

caseloads, the patients should become " your patients " . The patient should know

that is " my Physical Therapist " not that " I go to s Orthopedic &

Spine Rehabilitation for my physical therapy. So if it is 's patient that

needs to be seen late or has a new issue that needs to be adresssd acutely then

it is 's professional responsibility to see that patient, not the clinic

owner's.

E s, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT

www.douglasspt.com

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Your point is well taken Matt. I do agree that some PT’s who work

for hospitals (and some private practices) do not have the private practice

owner commitment that you have just shared. I was in private practice myself

and my patients appreciated it when I came in early or stayed late. I don’t

think this should become an argument over who is better. There are good PT’s

and bad PT’s everywhere.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ]

On Behalf Of acceleratedptbsl@

> > > > > > Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 9:51 AM

> > > > > > To: PTManager

> > > > > > Subject: Re: Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > > >

> > > > > >

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Okay, case in point. Had a patient telephone us Monday and schedule

an appointment. We offered Tuesday but he chose to come in Wednesday. I normally

start seeing patient';s at 8 am and close at 7pm, three days a week. But to

accommodate I offered to take this eval at 6:30 (probably keeping me here until

7:30 pm with treatment, not including the paperwork at the end of the day), and

he said " Thank you, the hospital's therapy dept. said they could not get me in

until July 28th " .

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Matt Capo, PT

> > > > > > Accelerated Physical Therapy and Occupational Health, Inc.

> > > > > > Bay St. Louis and Diamondhead, Mississippi

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Matt,

> > > > > > I take some offense with your assumption that hospital based OP

therapy depts don't strive to get people in quickly. I work in that world and we

strive to do the same thing for patients that you do.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Lindberg, PT

> > > > > > Avista Adventist Hospital

> > > > > > Louisville, CO

> > > > > >

> > > > > >

[Guest guest]

,

Your points are well taken. We do, in fact, offer a bonus structure for our

salaried therapists that directly compensates them on a monthly basis for every

patient they see over the 91% productivity rate. We also, on a yearly basis,

look at wage/salary/benefit package vs. the amount of revenue generated by each

therapist. In our 10 years in business we have learned that paying the

therapist a w/s/b package that equals between 40-45% of what they brings in

covers overhead. If they fall below 40% we raise their salary or pay a

productivity bonus. If they go much above 45% we have a discussion about ways

to improve their productivity in the following year and they obviously do not

see a salary increase. This is how we work to instill a sense of ownership in

each therapist, they can see a direct relationship between patients seen and

revenue generated both personally and for the facility.

Finally. as professionals, we should all have a sense of " ownership " over our

caseloads, the patients should become " your patients " . The patient should know

that is " my Physical Therapist " not that " I go to s Orthopedic &

Spine Rehabilitation for my physical therapy. So if it is 's patient that

needs to be seen late or has a new issue that needs to be adresssd acutely then

it is 's professional responsibility to see that patient, not the clinic

owner's.

E s, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT

www.douglasspt.com

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Your point is well taken Matt. I do agree that some PT’s who work

for hospitals (and some private practices) do not have the private practice

owner commitment that you have just shared. I was in private practice myself

and my patients appreciated it when I came in early or stayed late. I don’t

think this should become an argument over who is better. There are good PT’s

and bad PT’s everywhere.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ]

On Behalf Of acceleratedptbsl@

> > > > > > Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 9:51 AM

> > > > > > To: PTManager

> > > > > > Subject: Re: Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > > >

> > > > > >

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Okay, case in point. Had a patient telephone us Monday and schedule

an appointment. We offered Tuesday but he chose to come in Wednesday. I normally

start seeing patient';s at 8 am and close at 7pm, three days a week. But to

accommodate I offered to take this eval at 6:30 (probably keeping me here until

7:30 pm with treatment, not including the paperwork at the end of the day), and

he said " Thank you, the hospital's therapy dept. said they could not get me in

until July 28th " .

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Matt Capo, PT

> > > > > > Accelerated Physical Therapy and Occupational Health, Inc.

> > > > > > Bay St. Louis and Diamondhead, Mississippi

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Matt,

> > > > > > I take some offense with your assumption that hospital based OP

therapy depts don't strive to get people in quickly. I work in that world and we

strive to do the same thing for patients that you do.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Lindberg, PT

> > > > > > Avista Adventist Hospital

> > > > > > Louisville, CO

> > > > > >

> > > > > >

[Guest guest]

,

I think more clinics should look into creating compensation packages similar to

what you describe. Your program sounds like it would attract, motivate and

improve retention. In addition, your therapists are probably more engaged and

feel less like mere employees.

Kudos to you for creating an atypical environment in a competitive market.

Subsidized behavior repeats itself.

Jon Mark Pleasant, Pt

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Your point is well taken Matt. I do agree that some PT’s who

work for hospitals (and some private practices) do not have the private practice

owner commitment that you have just shared. I was in private practice myself

and my patients appreciated it when I came in early or stayed late. I don’t

think this should become an argument over who is better. There are good PT’s

and bad PT’s everywhere.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ]

On Behalf Of acceleratedptbsl@

> > > > > > > Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 9:51 AM

> > > > > > > To: PTManager

> > > > > > > Subject: Re: Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Okay, case in point. Had a patient telephone us Monday and

schedule an appointment. We offered Tuesday but he chose to come in Wednesday. I

normally start seeing patient';s at 8 am and close at 7pm, three days a week.

But to accommodate I offered to take this eval at 6:30 (probably keeping me here

until 7:30 pm with treatment, not including the paperwork at the end of the

day), and he said " Thank you, the hospital's therapy dept. said they could not

get me in until July 28th " .

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Matt Capo, PT

> > > > > > > Accelerated Physical Therapy and Occupational Health, Inc.

> > > > > > > Bay St. Louis and Diamondhead, Mississippi

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Matt,

> > > > > > > I take some offense with your assumption that hospital based OP

therapy depts don't strive to get people in quickly. I work in that world and we

strive to do the same thing for patients that you do.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Lindberg, PT

> > > > > > > Avista Adventist Hospital

> > > > > > > Louisville, CO

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >

[Guest guest]

,

I think more clinics should look into creating compensation packages similar to

what you describe. Your program sounds like it would attract, motivate and

improve retention. In addition, your therapists are probably more engaged and

feel less like mere employees.

Kudos to you for creating an atypical environment in a competitive market.

Subsidized behavior repeats itself.

Jon Mark Pleasant, Pt

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Your point is well taken Matt. I do agree that some PT’s who

work for hospitals (and some private practices) do not have the private practice

owner commitment that you have just shared. I was in private practice myself

and my patients appreciated it when I came in early or stayed late. I don’t

think this should become an argument over who is better. There are good PT’s

and bad PT’s everywhere.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ]

On Behalf Of acceleratedptbsl@

> > > > > > > Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 9:51 AM

> > > > > > > To: PTManager

> > > > > > > Subject: Re: Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Okay, case in point. Had a patient telephone us Monday and

schedule an appointment. We offered Tuesday but he chose to come in Wednesday. I

normally start seeing patient';s at 8 am and close at 7pm, three days a week.

But to accommodate I offered to take this eval at 6:30 (probably keeping me here

until 7:30 pm with treatment, not including the paperwork at the end of the

day), and he said " Thank you, the hospital's therapy dept. said they could not

get me in until July 28th " .

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Matt Capo, PT

> > > > > > > Accelerated Physical Therapy and Occupational Health, Inc.

> > > > > > > Bay St. Louis and Diamondhead, Mississippi

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Re: wait times to new evaluations

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Matt,

> > > > > > > I take some offense with your assumption that hospital based OP

therapy depts don't strive to get people in quickly. I work in that world and we

strive to do the same thing for patients that you do.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Lindberg, PT

> > > > > > > Avista Adventist Hospital

> > > > > > > Louisville, CO

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >