Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Duggan.
Kelly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve known I wanted to be in healthcare since the 3rd grade, it seems crazy but it’s true.
You know how in elementary school the whole classroom gets decorated in whatever the theme of the month is? Like dinosaurs or planets. Well when we did a month on the human body I remember it just clicked for me. Our teacher brought in a real skeleton and I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. It’s 24 years later and I’m still just as impressed by the human body. I followed my passion and became a doctor of physical therapy. In May 2016, after having my 3rd child in January, I took a leap and opened my own physical therapy clinic. I’ve always had a passion for program development and marketing and so the idea of owning my own clinic where I had full control over both of those aspects always appealed to me. When you go to graduate school no one really prepares you for the financial burden of the school loans when you graduate. Then, if you have a child you have to understand that your school loans don’t stop coming and aren’t put on hold while you take time off to recover and raise your newborn. After my first two children, I returned to work at 12 weeks, because financially, I had to. I would have loved to have more time but it just wasn’t a viable option. I worked about 30 hours a week and that was enough to save a little and pay for daycare. We were fortunate enough to have our parents help out with daycare and so my children actually only went to daycare 3 days a week, I’m not sure I could have afforded 5 days.
When I got pregnant with my third child, I started to panic, yes, I wanted 3 children but how could I afford 3 and my school loans? I knew I’d have to start working a 4o hour week. If I was going to work 40 hours I thought…why not work for myself and my own dreams? Go big or go home right? So I started to look into the idea of running my own practice. Even at the birth of my 3rd child I was on the fence, it was a HUGE risk if I opened my own clinic, what if I wasn’t successful? What if I failed? What if I just wasn’t around enough for my children? I decided to reach out to other moms who were business owners and physical therapists, I asked my questions right to the source. Most women had the answers I longed to hear, it was hard but it was worth it. I decided I couldn’t pass an opportunity and I had thought of every possible failed scenario and I was okay with any result. So after the birth of my 3rd child, I went for it. I pursued a lease and started my own physical therapy clinic. My market research really helped in my success. I knew geographically where I needed to be and so only considered places in that direct area. Over the past year+ it has been confirmed that there was certainly a need in the area. Word of mouth has been my biggest resource and continues to be our main driver of new clients. In a healthcare world where accountable care organizations are taking over, providing a quality service really shines through. I started with just myself and my sister who runs the clinic operations. Currently we have 9 employees including 3 other therapists. It has truly been a dream. I’ve been able to continue to provide the service that I set out wanting to, despite many barriers and naysayers. I got into physical therapy because I’m passionate about the human body and what it can accomplish. I’m happy to say I’ve surprised myself in what I can accomplish as well.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Running a business is something I was not trained to do. There has certainly been a learning curve and I continue to learn something new every day. I currently outsource my billing and from the start this has been difficult. It’s difficult because I don’t like not having 100% of control of what is happening. Before owning my own business, I finished my note and that was it, the patient was taken care of, I wrote down what I did and that was it. Now I have to track exactly what gets paid for and why. This is all brand new stuff for me.
Another issue has been renting. I’d love to just own my own space and end it at that but it’s not a possibility at this time. It’s hard to exactly get what you need when you are in someone else’s space.
Please tell us about Physical Therapy U.
Physical Therapy U has a focus on putting the customer first. In a world where insurance continues to cut back reimbursement it’s common to see PT clinic double booking patients and seeing patients every 15 minutes. One of the reasons I wanted to have my own company is because I’ve seen the difference one on one quality time can make in someone’s recovery. I’ve previously worked at clinics that treat similar to us where you are able to spend more time with each client and I’ve worked at clinic where they double book and you have much less time. I’ve personally seen the difference this makes in a person’s care and prognosis. It was a no brainer to me that I needed to provide that service too. It’s not “where the money is” but I certainly didn’t get into PT for the money so that’s not where my head is.
I’m most proud of the fact that I set a goal to provide quality service and I’ve been able to do that AND expand and every therapist I’ve taken on has been just as passionate about that goal. We currently have a team that put’s our patients first and has a great time doing it. We have fun every day in the clinic and that’s all I can ask for. A job that allows me to provide quality care and have fun every day of my life is something worth working hard for.
What sets us apart? When you come to PTU you are a part of a community. We razz each other, lift each other up and support each other, all with a laugh and a smile.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have found a bigger space! We are just over one year in and could really use double the space!
Contact Info:
- Address: 985 Pleasant St., Bridgewater Mass, 02324
- Website: www.ptuclinic.com
- Phone: 508-697-2000
- Email: ptuclinic@gmail.com
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