How an Accident in Scotland Inspired Me to Support Physical Therapy
How a Freak Accident in Scotland Shaped My Career Trajectory and My Understanding and Appreciation for Physical Therapy
When I was a junior in college, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study abroad in Scotland. One very windy day, as I was walking, something random occurred that shook me. A street sign was blown off its post and hit me on the head. Thankfully, I seemed to be fine, or so I thought at the time. In the days ahead, my neck became very stiff, significantly reducing my range of motion and ability to turn it without significant pain. Being in my early 20s, my younger mindset was to push through discomfort and not seek medical attention. However, when summer break rolled around, I finally had enough pain and discomfort to seek medical attention back home in my more comfortable, familiar setting.
After examining my neck, my doctor recommended extensive physical therapy, or “PT” as I learned it was referred to. After a handful of sessions and diligently following my therapist’s advice, my neck’s range of motion was fully restored, with no surgery needed. As one would imagine, I was thrilled and deeply grateful. This positive experience not only solved my issues but also introduced me to the tremendous potential benefits of regular physical therapy and following through on PT recommendations outside of their facilities. Many years later, I still incorporate regular PT into my routine for body flexibility and overall well-being. Inspired by how PT transformed my life, I decided to prioritize specialties such as physical therapy when I started providing virtual services. PT practices were actually my first choice because of my personal connection and appreciation for their work.
Through our services, we provide reliable, HIPAA-compliant front- and back-office support staff so PTs and their teams can focus on what matters most: administering effective PT treatments and utilizing the most effective tools and methodologies to do so. Snapscale support staff can provide PTs with a variety of services like patient scheduling and coordination, insurance authorizations, billing and coding, EMR updating, medical scribing, and much more. Today, we collaborate with over 60 PT practices, helping to streamline their administrative operations. This allows them to focus more on patient care, improve profitability, and enjoy better work-life balance.
Far too many PTs are unable to provide the level of care that I received because they are overwhelmed by an overly complex healthcare system that demands far too much of them and their teams. While I can never fully repay the gift of health that my PT and their team gave me, supporting this community feels like I’m making a meaningful impact. It’s my way of giving something back to them for restoring my life and continuing to enhance it every day.
As much as I’ve seen the power of medical excellence firsthand, I’ve also witnessed the burnout, the backlog, and the bottlenecks that prevent it from reaching its full potential. Too many practices are operating under systems that were built for a different era, one where paper charts, overworked staff, and long patient wait times were accepted as the norm. That’s no longer sustainable. The future of healthcare isn’t just about brilliant medicine; it’s about brilliant operations. And for many ophthalmology practices, that means knowing when to ask for help and how to prepare for it.
Preparing for Virtual Assistants: Myths, Mistakes, and Five Action Steps to Optimize Your Practice
Unfortunately, many clinics wait until they’re drowning in operational chaos before they consider virtual support. They assume virtual assistants are a luxury reserved for large practices or tech-forward startups. The truth is that practices of all sizes can benefit from integrating VAs if they prepare correctly and avoid the most common misconceptions.
- Myth #1: “We don’t have time to onboard someone right now” This is often a sign that you need support. Preparing simple SOPs (standard operating procedures) for recurring tasks, like intake forms, appointment reminders, and insurance verifications, can reduce onboarding time dramatically. Even starting with just one or two documented workflows can create the clarity needed to delegate effectively.
- Myth #2: “A VA won’t understand our EMR or systems” Modern VAs are not generalists without direction; they’re highly trained professionals, often with medical office experience. The key is choosing a provider who offers specialized onboarding, HIPAA compliance, and system-specific training. You don’t need to train them from scratch; you just need to plug them into your process.
- Action Step #1: Audit your bottlenecks Take one week to document all the repetitive administrative tasks bogging down your front office. Track how much time your staff spends on calls, scheduling, patient follow-up, prior authorizations, and EMR updates. You will quickly uncover dozens of hours that can be shifted to a capable VA.
- Action Step #2: Define “success” for your VA Many clinics fail to get value from VAs because they never set expectations. Define clear outcomes, such as reducing patient no-shows by 20% or processing all insurance authorizations within 24 hours. What gets measured gets improved.
- Action Step #3: Involve your current staff Position your VA as an enhancement to your team, not a replacement. Have your front desk help define handoffs. When staff feel ownership over the process, they’re more likely to help it succeed. The result is a more cohesive team and better morale.
- Action Step #4: Run a trial week Before fully committing, schedule a 1-day “Test Week” using mock patients, common tasks, and time-based challenges. This isn’t just about the VA’s skills; it’s about how well your systems support delegation. A trial reveals both strengths and breakdown points.
- Action Step #5: Create your “Virtual Culture” Don’t treat your VA like a third-party vendor; treat them like a team member. Invite them to huddle. Acknowledge wins. Celebrate birthdays. A strong remote culture improves performance, loyalty, and communication. Patients feel the difference.
- Integrating virtual assistants isn’t about replacing your team; it’s about equipping them. It’s about giving your clinic room to breathe, your patient’s room to be seen, and your practice the foundation to grow. At Snapscale, we believe that operational excellence fuels clinical excellence. When back-office friction disappears, front-line care thrives. And that’s a future we’re honored to help build, one task, one team member, and one transformed patient experience at a time.
- Learn about the positive impacts Snapscale will have for you personally, your administrative team, and most importantly, your patients:
- Review the attached case study from Impact Physical Therapy: Click Here
- Check out our latest webinar on HIPAA Compliance: Click Here
- Visit us at the APTA Conference in 2025
- Contact us at 888-944-6618. We’d love to hear from you!
If we can give physicians and medical specialists more bandwidth and freedom to focus, care, innovate, and change lives, we’ve done our job and indirectly helped patients and their caring families! Supporting this field is more than business; it’s a mission born from love, experience, and gratitude. To all the ophthalmologists and researchers: thank you for your tireless dedication. You are changing lives, including mine.
