(Updated March, 2024)
In the physical therapy owner’s world, there are many hats to be worn, and at times it can feel like you are wearing them all.
From the entrepreneur to the marketer to the technician, these roles are as varied as they are time consuming, so they are never fully done to the necessary capacity. Nevertheless, the output of each role is paramount to the success of the practice – so, how do owners ensure each aspect of their business is taken care of? They bring in the experts.
What is a Physical Therapy Coach?
Also known as a Private Practice Management Consultant, this specialist role is brought in to assess and optimize niche industry owners and their clinics (ex. physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, etc.) so that they can develop a plan to help the business operate efficiently and effectively.
When is the Right Time to Bring in a Physical Therapy Business Coach?
As new physical therapy owners embark on their startup journey, or when seasoned owners seek to grow their practice and expand into new services or markets, they often call on a business coach to help them develop the right strategy for success.
3 Ways the Physical Therapy Coach Benefits the Private Practice Owner
1. Develop Your Plan of Attack
It starts with a plan. Where you are in your physical therapy owner journey will dictate the strategy.
As a physical therapy startup, a practice management coach will help with areas like branding, location and subsequent contract negotiations, recruitment, onboarding, credentialing of all new staff, clinic environment layout, general contractor build out, insurance contracts and Medicare, equipment/supply lists, marketing, etc.
As an existing physical therapy clinic, a practice management coach will help assess the areas that are underperforming, with a specific focus on the leadership, personnel, marketing, physical environment and operational structure. From there, they will develop a plan to optimize what they have, acquire what they need and operate more efficiently and effectively.
As a physical therapy clinic looking to expand, a practice management coach will play a key role in merging their expertise in the physical therapy startup world with the existing clinic world. This strategic direction helps map out the owner’s goals and bring their vision to life.
2. Provide the Tools to Be Successful
Beyond the private practice assessment and business strategy that a physical therapy coach provides, it’s critical to have the resources and services to see the strategy through.
A full-service physical therapy coach provides private practice management services that include leadership and executive training, personnel management, front desk training, outsourced billing services, ethics and compliance programs, credentialing solutions and marketing tools, to name a few. The initial assessment will identify how many of these are necessary for the private practice, but an overall solution will blend in-house and outsourced solutions together to deliver the most optimized results.
3. Support the Process
Finally, the mission of the physical therapy coach is to empower the private practice owner to be performing at their best and to stay that way.
Once a practice has been assessed and the right tools and solutions have been delivered, the role of the physical therapy business coach now shifts to the ongoing support necessary to keep the client on a successful path. This can take the form of monthly coaching hours or retainer services, periodic practice evaluations and reporting, updated training programs, access to marketing materials and resources, etc.
Find the Right Private Practice Management Coach for You
If you need help managing the many hats in your company, it’s time for a practice assessment. Our specialists walk you through the different areas of your practice and identify areas of opportunity or concern. From there, they’ll work with you to take the first step to building or rebuilding the practice of your dreams.
