"Best PT Practice of 2008" by Advance Magazine | Vol. 19 • Issue 27 • Page 6
Premiere Physical Therapy honored by ADVANCE as Best PT Practice
By Diana Olsen Friedman, ADVANCE Magazine

Starting a small business is one of the most time-consuming endeavors someone can take on. Just ask any private practitioner.

So how is it that John Woodard, PT, and Tony Rubba, ATC, co-owners of Premiere Physical Therapy in Springfield, IL, have so much time for activities outside the clinic? Whether they're collecting Toys for Tots or running a Salvation Army food drive, the co-owners have always been active in community service projects since they opened their first clinic in 1997.

"When you go into a community, it has to be a door that swings both ways. You can't just take; you need to give something back," said Rubba.

In light of this philosophy, the co-owners have integrated community service into their business model. The time they spend reaching out to the community is a vital factor to their practice's success.

In fact, the pair donated so much time to local athletic teams when they first opened that they still get new patients somehow connected to those efforts 10 years ago. "Patients pay attention to the fact that you're providing a good service. They're smart," said Rubba.

As a result, Premiere Physical Therapy has earned the distinction as ADVANCE's Best PT Practice of 2008. Three judges, all physical therapists in private practice, gave Premiere Physical Therapy the highest combined score in categories such as customer service, practice growth, recruiting/staff development and revenue growth.

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"Small Business of the Year for 2009" by the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce

On July 1, 2009, Premiere Physical Therapy was named the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce's 2009 Small Business of the Year. The award recognizes outstanding performance through innovation, growth, staying power and contributions to the community.

"Small businesses are very important to the Chamber and make up 87% of our chamber's members," said Gary Plummer, President and CEO of Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber looks for enterprising owners whose innovative approach to business deserves special recognition.

Over the last several years, patients' expectations for healthcare services have changed dramatically. Being able to change and meet these needs without sacrificing our core values has allowed Premiere to continually expand. In today's economy, it can be very difficult for private practices to expand in a healthcare field dominated by large hospital systems and corporations. Despite increased competition and insurance companies paying less and less for services, Premiere has still been able to maintain continued growth.

We believe our success is a result of putting our customers first and providing the one-on-one attention that they need to recover.