Re: employee wanting to start independent niche business

January 3, 2012

What a great opportunity for you to assist a therapist develop and grow a

business that in turn can help your practice. My thoughts are, encourage him,

help him, mentor him. It will benefit you both in the long run.

> Dear PT manager,

>

> I have a PT employee who wants to start an independent bike fitting business

while also remaining a clinical employee treating clients. This employee has

made it clear that they will not provide any functional bicycle assessment for

cyclist clients in the clinic, only with the independent business to which the

employee would like the clinic to refer bike fit clients. As PTs, we look at

biomechanics, seat/stem height, frame length etc. but refer out to certified

bike fitters if more specific pedal adjustments etc. are needed.

>

> This clinician is truly exceptional and is a valuable employee however this

challenges the boundaries between independent projects and the job description

of a PT's functional assessment of biomechanics within clinical care. I would

like to understand how other clinic owners have handled similar situations with

clinicians who want to create their own exclusive niche outside of their

employment. There is no non-compete in place. This individual is highly skilled

and a visionary who may ultimately be happiest being self-employed. I want to

handle this wisely and in a non-inflammatory manner.

>

> Have you run across this before and if this was one of your employees, how

would you handle it?

>

> Thanks for your insights.

>

> Hampton PT, WCS, BCB-PMD

>

January 3, 2012

What a great opportunity for you to assist a therapist develop and grow a

business that in turn can help your practice. My thoughts are, encourage him,

help him, mentor him. It will benefit you both in the long run.

> Dear PT manager,

>

> I have a PT employee who wants to start an independent bike fitting business

while also remaining a clinical employee treating clients. This employee has

made it clear that they will not provide any functional bicycle assessment for

cyclist clients in the clinic, only with the independent business to which the

employee would like the clinic to refer bike fit clients. As PTs, we look at

biomechanics, seat/stem height, frame length etc. but refer out to certified

bike fitters if more specific pedal adjustments etc. are needed.

>

> This clinician is truly exceptional and is a valuable employee however this

challenges the boundaries between independent projects and the job description

of a PT's functional assessment of biomechanics within clinical care. I would

like to understand how other clinic owners have handled similar situations with

clinicians who want to create their own exclusive niche outside of their

employment. There is no non-compete in place. This individual is highly skilled

and a visionary who may ultimately be happiest being self-employed. I want to

handle this wisely and in a non-inflammatory manner.

>

> Have you run across this before and if this was one of your employees, how

would you handle it?

>

> Thanks for your insights.

>

> Hampton PT, WCS, BCB-PMD

>

January 3, 2012

What a great opportunity for you to assist a therapist develop and grow a

business that in turn can help your practice. My thoughts are, encourage him,

help him, mentor him. It will benefit you both in the long run.

> Dear PT manager,

>

> I have a PT employee who wants to start an independent bike fitting business

while also remaining a clinical employee treating clients. This employee has

made it clear that they will not provide any functional bicycle assessment for

cyclist clients in the clinic, only with the independent business to which the

employee would like the clinic to refer bike fit clients. As PTs, we look at

biomechanics, seat/stem height, frame length etc. but refer out to certified

bike fitters if more specific pedal adjustments etc. are needed.

>

> This clinician is truly exceptional and is a valuable employee however this

challenges the boundaries between independent projects and the job description

of a PT's functional assessment of biomechanics within clinical care. I would

like to understand how other clinic owners have handled similar situations with

clinicians who want to create their own exclusive niche outside of their

employment. There is no non-compete in place. This individual is highly skilled

and a visionary who may ultimately be happiest being self-employed. I want to

handle this wisely and in a non-inflammatory manner.

>

> Have you run across this before and if this was one of your employees, how

would you handle it?

>

> Thanks for your insights.

>

> Hampton PT, WCS, BCB-PMD

>

January 3, 2012

Thanks for your input .

She is exceptional and I want to ensure the parameters of the agreement are

clear.

I want to ensure that she does not withhold clinical assessment, recommendations

and reasoning when seeing our clients at the clinic. If she were to start her

independent business, I would want her to do everything in her clinical

repertoire here first, then refer out to her bike fitting, which I suspect will

have the high tech video process to fine tune the biomechanics.

I donâ€™t want to clip her wings, but I also donâ€™t want to sabotage a cash

business opportunity either since I have another employee coming on who is very

interested in performing bike fits as well.

Hampton PT, WCS, BCB-PMD

Board Certified Women's Health Clinical Specialist

Board Certified in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback

Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute Faculty

Core Physical Therapy

The Specialty Clinic

1514 12th Street

Suite 103

Bellingham, WA 98225

p:

f:

www.corept.org

<http://www.pelvicrehab.com/> www.hermanwallace.com

January 3, 2012

Thanks for your input .

She is exceptional and I want to ensure the parameters of the agreement are

clear.

I want to ensure that she does not withhold clinical assessment, recommendations

and reasoning when seeing our clients at the clinic. If she were to start her

independent business, I would want her to do everything in her clinical

repertoire here first, then refer out to her bike fitting, which I suspect will

have the high tech video process to fine tune the biomechanics.

I donâ€™t want to clip her wings, but I also donâ€™t want to sabotage a cash

business opportunity either since I have another employee coming on who is very

interested in performing bike fits as well.

Hampton PT, WCS, BCB-PMD

Board Certified Women's Health Clinical Specialist

Board Certified in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback

Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute Faculty

Core Physical Therapy

The Specialty Clinic

1514 12th Street

Suite 103

Bellingham, WA 98225

p:

f:

www.corept.org

<http://www.pelvicrehab.com/> www.hermanwallace.com

January 4, 2012

First a few questions, is she a salaried employee? If so, how will she balance

the time needed for the new business vs. potential time over runs in your

facility? Will she keep your business needs as the priority or will her

business come first?

Second, she and you as well, need to be very cautious with the referring of

patients to another facility in which she has a financial interest, obviously

disclosure is a must in all cases but there may be some self-referral issues

with Medicare patients that would fall outside of what is legal. I know, for

instance, that a home health PT cannot refer a Home Health patient to an

outpatient center that he or she has an ownership interest in so this is

something that would need to be clarified.

Finally, if this is someone you value on your staff and if this is an endeavor

that she really has great interest in than I say support it any way that you

can. I might also suggest the book, " The Dream Manager " which makes some great

points along these lines. Best of luck!

E. s, PT, DPT,

Orthopedic Clinical Specialist

Fellow American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists

www.douglasspt.com

>

> Thanks for your input .

>

> She is exceptional and I want to ensure the parameters of the agreement are

clear.

>

> I want to ensure that she does not withhold clinical assessment,

recommendations and reasoning when seeing our clients at the clinic. If she

were to start her independent business, I would want her to do everything in her

clinical repertoire here first, then refer out to her bike fitting, which I

suspect will have the high tech video process to fine tune the biomechanics.

>

> I donâ€™t want to clip her wings, but I also donâ€™t want to sabotage a cash

business opportunity either since I have another employee coming on who is very

interested in performing bike fits as well.

>

> Hampton PT, WCS, BCB-PMD

>

> Board Certified Women's Health Clinical Specialist

>

> Board Certified in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback

>

> Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute Faculty

>

> Core Physical Therapy

>

> The Specialty Clinic

>

> 1514 12th Street

>

> Suite 103

>

> Bellingham, WA 98225

>

> p:

>

> f:

>

> www.corept.org

>

> <http://www.pelvicrehab.com/> www.hermanwallace.com

>

January 4, 2012

,

If your employee is planning on a business model that provides a service that

cyclists value and desire that includes say the video capture aspect and your

company isn't truly going beyond the bare minimum basics in bike fitting, then

both your company and your current employee's new company can actually co-exist

and they won't even be in competition.

Elite athletes and/or competitive athletes are going to desire a higher tech

product/service. This consumer is going to want perfection. This consumer is

going to have a higher end bike. This consumer is focused on performance.

Bare minimum basic bike fitting can be marketed to the general public... to

kids... to recreational cyclists - and yes, it can even be offered to the

elite/competitive athletes. If a cyclist desires a more intense evaluation

focusing on performance, your company will be in a great position. People value

good referrals - your company will actually create positive feelings with your

customers every time the appropriate cyclists are referred to your employee's

company. (Even better yet, you screen those desiring a bike fitting to ensure

they are receiving the expected service - if the person wants video as part of

the evaluation, then you immediately refer to the employee's company.) It's

actually a win-win situation because I'd be willing to bet your employee will

suggest your company's services in the event an injury occurs. Heck, you never

know, your company may begin to offer cash based performance programs depending

on how the bike fitting aspect grows.

Basically, if she's doesn't plan on replicating the services your company plans

on offering, you both can provide a needed service in your community.

Selena Horner, PT

ton, MI

>

> Thanks for your input .

>

> She is exceptional and I want to ensure the parameters of the agreement are

clear.

>

> I want to ensure that she does not withhold clinical assessment,

recommendations and reasoning when seeing our clients at the clinic. If she

were to start her independent business, I would want her to do everything in her

clinical repertoire here first, then refer out to her bike fitting, which I

suspect will have the high tech video process to fine tune the biomechanics.

>

> I donâ€™t want to clip her wings, but I also donâ€™t want to sabotage a cash

business opportunity either since I have another employee coming on who is very

interested in performing bike fits as well.

>

> Hampton PT, WCS, BCB-PMD

>

> Board Certified Women's Health Clinical Specialist

>

> Board Certified in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback

>

> Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute Faculty

>

> Core Physical Therapy

>

> The Specialty Clinic

>

> 1514 12th Street

>

> Suite 103

>

> Bellingham, WA 98225

>

> p:

>

> f:

>

> www.corept.org

>

> <http://www.pelvicrehab.com/> www.hermanwallace.com

>

January 4, 2012