Background
In April 2011, Ryan DeWitt opened DeWitt Physical Therapy—an outpatient orthopedic clinic specializing in sports medicine and spinal conditions—in his hometown of Santa Cruz, California. The clinic’s two-person team consists of DeWitt, who serves as the sole treating therapist, and his office manager, who assists him with administrative tasks.
Challenges
Dewitt had always dreamed of starting a PT clinic in Santa Cruz. But not just any clinic—one that was very progressive in its treatments and in its philosophy. He worked in two different outpatient facilities prior to opening DeWitt Physical Therapy, and in those clinics, he says, “There was paper everywhere!” Frustrated by all of the disorganization, DeWitt longed for a technological solution that would allow him to access everything he needed in one place.
When the time came to open up his own clinic, DeWitt knew he needed a paperless solution. After all, running a clinic on paper wasn’t representative of his level of professionalism or his forward-thinking ideals. Plus, as a small startup clinic, DeWitt Physical Therapy had limited space; there was simply no room for paper file storage. On that note, DeWitt knew that whatever system he decided to implement, it had to be one that didn’t require any bulky hardware or servers. And being an avid Mac user, DeWitt absolutely had to find software that was compatible with Apple products.
Solutions
During his search, DeWitt stumbled upon WebPT in a physical therapy publication. “As I looked into it more, it just made sense: no server, no IT, no updates to buy,” he said.
DeWitt also liked the system’s simple interface and frequent updates. “Plus, it was web-based and compliant…I really felt it would serve the needs of my practice,” he added. Needless to say, he was “grinning throughout the demo.”
Benefits
WebPT had all of the features DeWitt wanted, and it was very cost-effective compared to other EMR vendors that required large upfront investments. Even better, it offered him the ability to access patient records and complete notes from anywhere, anytime. As a new clinic owner, DeWitt had a lot on his plate, so that flexibility was a huge selling point.
Another thing DeWitt really liked about WebPT was that it gave him a way to track referrals. He knew referral marketing would play an important role in his clinic’s success, and WebPT made it easy to keep tabs on which sources were bringing him the most business—and which ones needed a little more attention. On top of that, WebPT allows DeWitt to fax professional documentation—with his clinic logo on every page—directly from the WebPT system to his referral sources.
This not only makes his practice appear progressive, but also drastically cuts down on time-consuming administrative work. “So many tasks that were tedious before are now just a click away,” he said.
Another aspect that DeWitt loves? “I have been very happy with the support I receive should I have a question or problem.” WebPT Members can contact the WebPT Support Team as many times as they need, five days per week, with no additional charges. The Idea Portal—where current WebPT Members go to submit suggestions for system improvements—was an additional perk for DeWitt. Because changes to the system are guided by the feedback of thousands of therapists, he felt content in WebPT’s ability to constantly evolve to meet his needs.
“WebPT has been my practice management solution for documentation, scheduling, and contacts, and has helped me make sure my notes stay organized, compliant, and complete. Thank you, WebPT, for providing me [with] a practical way to manage my dream.”
Ryan DeWitt MPT, OCS, CSCS, CES, CF-L1
Owner
