An Integral Component of Your Annual Strategic Plan

Overview
The Annual Conference of the Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association will be held in Orlando, FL, November 5-8, 2008.  This conference, in my opinion is a not to be missed event.

This year's conference theme (in keeping with the location) is "Capturing the Magic of Business Success."  Some of the highlights of this year's conference include the following:

• Early pre-conference workshops, including legal issues and how to implement employer-paid industrial services;
• Educational sessions each day, running the gamut from reimbursement/retention of professional staff to the latest on information technology systems implementation;
• In depth educational sessions focusing on such subjects as "Building Bone Health into Your Practice" as well as methods on increasing "Business Profitability and Autonomy";

• Intensive educational sessions including 3-hour presentations on "A Twelve Month Plan to Managing Your Practice," "Boosting Direct Access Through Wellness and Non Physician Referrals, Direct Marketing and Brand Identity" and "Succession Planning Foster Practice Success: Your Five Year Plan."

In addition, there are evening discussion forums and knowledge circle groups.  Simply put, there is no other meeting that offers so much information over so short a time period.  The speakers are experienced hands-on business, clinical and marketing experts offering information that, may for the most part, be implemented immediately on Monday following the conference! 

Not Just for Practice Owners
As you can see, this conference offers tremendous value to physical therapists, business managers, marketing personnel and many other healthcare professionals.  Along with the conference, there is also an exposition with over 90 exhibiting companies offering state-of-the-art physical therapy products and services. 

The informal networking opportunities both in and away from the conference are as valuable as the conference itself.  Such opportunities are particularly valuable to those considering developing their own private practice or to those new to the private practice arena.  Experienced private practice owners are willing and ever eager to provide in-the-trenches, practice information interested individuals.

Strategic Planning: Getting the Most from the Conference
Due to the vast array of information available in and around the conference, many practice owners opt to bring more than one person to this conference. The Private Practice Section has helped foster such attendance by offering group discounts to registrants from the same practice.  As a long-time consultant to private practice owners, I recommend the following to growth and success-oriented private practitioners:

1. Plan to bring at least three key people to the conference
2. Prior to the conference determine the following:
   1. Goals and objectives of attending the conference
   2. Review the conference programming
   3. Determine who will attend various conference sessions in order to cover as many of the programs as possible
3. During the conference, do the following daily:
   1. Each individual attends their selected programs each day 
   2. Such individuals print up a written report of the programs attended
   3. All individuals meet each night (or the next morning) with each individual reporting on their days activities via the written report noted above
4. Within 7-10 days following the conference:
   1. Conference attendees prepare a staff meeting (or meetings) consisting of an agreed upon agenda
   2. At the staff meeting(s) present pertinent information to key staff
   3. Determine as a group how and if to use the conference materials at the practice's annual strategic planning meeting
5. Hold the annual strategic planning meeting in late December

Practices following the above strategy make this conference an integral part of their strategic planning.

In Conclusion
I hope to see you at this year's conference in Orlando. I will be presenting at the 3-hour Intensive Educational Session on Saturday, November 8, entitled "Succession Planning Fosters Practice Success: Your Five Year Plan."

Drop by, introduce yourself and say hello!

James E. Glinn, Sr., PT, is the owner and founder of FutureRehab, LLC in Bakersfield, CA.