286 – When an SLP and PT Start a Business Together: Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Multidisciplinary Practice

While most people associate PT with OT (sometimes as if they’re just one person, even!), there’s some serious magic that can come out of the SLP and PT partnership…

And that’s exactly what we dive into in this week’s episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast!

In this episode,  Megan Kane-Mangol MS, CCC-SLP, and Kris Zwemer MSPT discuss the benefits of working together as co-owners of a private practice. From individual practice to group theater and exercise programs, they emphasize the ability to provide comprehensive care in one setting and the flexibility of private practice. Megan and Kris share examples of programs they offer at their practice, including a theater group for patients with Parkinson's. They also stress the importance of community and shared interests for individuals with a diagnosis. The speakers advocate for the need for more multidisciplinary clinics and engaging with other clinicians to provide a more fulfilling life for patients.

Get the show notes: https://syppodcast.com/286

[00:02:39] -Megan Kane-Mangol MS, CCC-SLP, and Kris Zwemer MSPT discuss the benefits of working in a multidisciplinary team, including the ability to address multiple issues in the same setting.

 [00:08:13] - Megan talks about creating programming outside of the therapy room, specifically a collaboration with a local theater for patients with Parkinson's.

[00:09:23] - Discussion on how the pandemic affected their private practice and how grassroots marketing helped them grow.

[00:12:49] - The importance of involving caregivers and family members in therapy sessions and providing support and resources for them.

[00:13:50] - The power of asking simple questions like "how are you?" and the impact it can have on patients and their families.

[00:17:07 - 00:21:00] - Kris and Megan discuss the various exercise and wellness programs they offer, including a fitness class for people with motor impairments, osteoporosis wellness program, and a Speak Out program for Parkinson's patients.

[00:21:00 - 00:22:48] - Megan talks about the importance of building a sense of community among patients and caregivers, and how it helps with marketing. They also discuss plans to offer art therapy and cooking classes.

[00:25:15 - 00:25:55] - Theresa and Megan discuss the concept of modified cooking classes for people with dysphagia, and how to modify gourmet dishes to fit a dysphagia diet.

[00:25:56] - Theresa talks about the importance of finding a community of people who share similar experiences and interests, especially after receiving a diagnosis.

[00:27:07] - Megan discusses the difficulties in getting referrals from neurologists and how they have had to find other means to reach out to potential clients.

[00:30:32] - Kris emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in treating patients with speech and swallowing issues and encourages clinicians to recognize their limitations and seek out other experts to help meet the needs of their patients.

 [00:33:27] - The speakers discuss the benefits of working in a multidisciplinary team, including the ability to catch things that other team members may not recognize.

[00:34:53] - The importance of referring out to other partners when a patient's needs fall outside of a clinician's scope is discussed.