Last month, I attended the annual Combined Sections Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), which was held in Boston. The conference featured programming, designed by all of the 18 specialty sections of the APTA, that focused mostly on clinical research and treatment trends. One topic I noticed that was missing from the meeting's curricula, however, was how to understand work cultures within physical therapy facilities.

In business, the organization's culture shapes the way employees behave, perceive, think, and form values.¹ An organization's strategies, goals, and modes of operation are influenced by its culture. What is important to note is that the culture of an organization is not measured just by its profits. Consider the physical therapy facility in which you are currently employed. If you are the owner, have you thought much about the practice culture that you are fostering among staff PTs?

When patients first arrive at your physical therapy practice, they notice its obvious aspects—its décor and its cleanliness. They also may notice the verbal communication between PTs, between PTs and other patients, and between themselves and your front-office staff.

What they don't necessarily see are the "behind-the-scenes" actions that create positive work environments. Does each staff member clearly understand the goals of the practice and share the vision for its success? Is collaboration among PTs rewarded and encouraged? These subtle, yet vital, aspects of work culture can affect the way PTs ultimately deal with patients.

PTs need to be aware of practice dynamics to build and nurture positive environments. Every fall, the Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association has its own conference and this includes sessions on various aspects of practice management. However, it is not enough to address the importance of practice culture and goals just once per year.

The advantage of discussing these issues at the other APTA conferences, such as the Combined Sections Meeting, is that the attendees work in various types of physical therapy facilities, not just in private practices, and they all can benefit from tips and knowledge on creating and maintaining positive work environments. Many physical therapy students attend the Combined Sections Meeting, and they need to be made aware of not only the latest in clinical treatment trends but also the nature of workplace dynamics once they start their careers. Many recent graduates who start working in private practices are often surprised to find that much of their duties involve business skills, such as marketing (to referring physicians) and working in team-based environments to accomplish practice goals.

The current programming of the Combined Sections Meeting allows PTs to stay on top of clinical trends—which is tremendously important for helping PTs better treat patients. However, providing PTs with practical knowledge about nurturing productive work environments will benefit their careers.

Arati Murti

Reference

1. Schein E. The Corporate Culture Survival Guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 1999.