As I started planning out this week’s episode, I wondered if in my 28 years of physical therapy and Practice Management experience, have I ever specifically targeted trying to hire a veteran physical therapist for any of my offices? After thinking about this for a while, not once did I actively recruit a veteran therapist. Here I am, a veteran therapist myself; there’s nothing wrong with me nor do I think there’s anything wrong with ANY veteran therapist I’ve ever met. I just never intentionally went out on the recruiting lines to attract a veteran therapist. I’m sure many of you have, in which case I would love to hear about your experience doing so. I’ve always just taken the approach of seeking to teach or train somebody something new as opposed to having to retrain somebody and something old.
Episode at a glance:
- When recruiting a veteran therapist, recruitment ads might push flexibility in terms of days, and hours to be worked.
- Avoid hiring those with a “know-best” attitude who are unwilling to change.
- Consider targeting specialty services requiring specialized skills that only a veteran therapist might have.
- Run control in your interviews, and be clear that their experience does not grant them special privileges.
- Veteran therapists often want to live the life of an intrapreneur, versus taking on the burden of responsibility and accountability of management.
- Retention happens when you provide a happy, flexible, headache-free environment for them to practice their craft with dignity, respect, and autonomy that they have earned over their years of experience.
-> 
Brian Gallagher, PT is the founder and CEO of MEG Business Management, LLC. He has more than 27 years of experience in the field of rehabilitation and 19 years in business and specializes in Physical Therapy practice management and executive coaching nationwide. As a licensed business management consultant, Brian has helped hundreds of business owners nationwide improve their business operations through proper restructuring to achieve improved systems of efficiency and productivity as well as marketing and sales with effective public relations which have proven results for double-digit growth year-over-year with businesses around the country.
