Camryn Brauns reported this story on assignment from The Other Paper. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.
In the wake of recent healthcare shortages causing extended patient wait times in out-patient clinics throughout Vermont, a new physical therapy practice may give hope to Burlington-area patients in need of specialized care.
Connective Physical Therapy, located in the heart of South Burlington, focuses on neurologic and pelvic health conditions in a state where generalized practices dominate, Sierra Martin, co-owner of the new practice, said.
“When I left Vermont, I fully intended (on) coming back with this advanced knowledge on neuro-conditions and giving back to the community and creating that resource that isn’t (as) represented as others,” said Martin, who received her doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Vermont.
Martin opened the new clinic with another doctor of physical therapy, Allie Triola. The pair shared aspirations for owning their own practice, recognizing the growing need for specialized care in Vermont. Triola and Martin work one-on-one with their patients using a variety of physical and mental stimulation exercises.
Long patient wait times for specialized care in Vermont have lasting consequences for patients, whether that be worsening conditions or emotional and financial burdens, according to a 2022 Agency of Human Services Report, linked in a VTDigger article from the same year. That article also displayed a graph of patient wait times for hospitals across the state, which averaged out at around two months.
Physical therapy patients at large practices like the University of Vermont can usually schedule initial visits within seven to ten days, Annie Mackin, a spokesperson for the hospital, said. But after that, scheduling visits can take longer.
“It can take a month or so to get recurring visits scheduled,” she wrote in an email.
Patient wait times, paired with high costs of living and the need for advanced care, makes it difficult to recruit and keep specialized physical therapists in rural states like Vermont, which also hurts patient recovery, Triola said.
“There are physical therapists that are generalists and we need those people, but I disagree with people who have patients come into their office knowing they can’t treat that condition really well, and they still see those people anyways,” she said.
Connective Physical Therapy seeks to help alleviate the burden on the state’s healthcare system. Triola and Martin use a system known as the dental model, championed by Terry Ellis, associate professor and director of the Center for Neurorehabilitation at Boston University. The model encourages routine check-ins and individualized care for patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Much like a patient is encouraged to see their dentist every six months instead of waiting for a cavity to develop, Martin said the dental model ensures patients accept care over time, allowing them to closely monitor changes in symptoms and determine what exercises are best for recovery.
“A huge part is advocating for patients and making sure the practitioners they are working with know what’s going on,” Martin said. “It’s hard to get transportation, to get someone to take care of you and bring you to appointments — (we need to be) educating caregivers as much as the patients.”
Connective Physical Therapy works with about six to eight patients throughout the day, Martin said. As their business progresses, the two owners plan to connect their practice to other clinics and organizations.
Martin envisions the practice as a place where patients want to come back, viewing the office as more of a community space where patients can feel at ease.
She hopes to partner with PushBack, a Vermont Adaptive exercise program for people with Parkinson’s that encourages team-oriented activities, as well as with other centers that specialize in neurologic conditions like the University of Vermont’s Binter Center and the Kelly Brush Foundation.
Triola and Martin agreed that partnerships like these will hopefully result in a hiking program to improve patients’ balance and coordination.
“The best way to practice balance is in ways that are meaningful to people,” Martin said, adding soon after, “patients tell you what’s lacking and if you can focus on listening to what they’re saying, you can get a lot from that.”
Triola noted a challenge in owning her first business is that she has hesitations about what advice to follow and “making sure your values stay at the forefront of your business decisions.”
“Which is why you always stick to your own values,” Martin interjected.
While the first-time business owners have a long-term goal of expanding their business with additional practitioners and taking on more clients, Triola and Martin agree that growth in moderation will allow them to continue to value their patient’s needs above all else.
“We want to start on the treadmill at two miles per hour, not twelve,” Martin said. “We want to stay on the treadmill.”