Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrice Hazan.
Hi Patrice, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I am a physical therapist who specializes in Geriatrics. I have been practicing for over 20 years and during this time I became frustrated with a very common scenario: Geriatric patients complete prescribed short term physical therapy (PT) treatment (following the current medical model), they make good progress, and they are discharged with a home exercise program, only to return in a few months with the same problems because they are not exercising intensely enough at home. It is a model that is clearly not working.
If a patient does not continue to exercise, they will lose the gains they made in physical therapy. It is not easy for a frail individual managing multiple chronic conditions to continue to exercise at the right intensity to maintain strength and function. They may be fearful of falling, they may be afraid of injuring themselves or causing pain from arthritis. A simple home exercise program is insufficient to keep at-risk patients strong, mobile and well. They need a comprehensive exercise program with aerobics, strengthening, balance, and stretching and they have to exercise hard enough, with exercises complex enough, to challenge balance and mobilty sufficiently.
A better model of physical therapy would try to reach patients BEFORE they need physical therapy.
A model where physical therapy expertise and knowledge is utilized to avoid the need for short-term PT that does not keep patients well!
As a physical therapist, I knew professionally need solutions, new models, new ideas to meet the needs of our patients. Personally, I have a passion for group fitness and have taught all types of classes at different fitness facilities. Combining this group fitness background with my physical therapy knowledge I developed a program called TherHab Fitness (linking: therapy-rehab-fitness) that will keep patients well long term.
To my amazement, one morning I opened an email from the publisher of the PT in Motion magazine of the American Physical Therapy Association- they heard about grouphab from a national google search, and they loved what we are doing with this model! They asked me to write a story for the magazine. http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/2016/2/DefiningMoment/
Since that time, the GroupHab/TherHab Fitness model has been published by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and has been presented at numerous professional conventions. We were selected as the 2019 SC facility of the year by the APTA. Research has been conducted and published supporting our program,
Here is more information
National Media:
- PT in Motion Article (February 2016): “A different kind of Group Therapy”
http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/2016/2/DefiningMoment/
Ref: Hazan, Patrice, PT, DPT, G.C.S., M.A. A different kind of group therapy. PT in Motion. 2016;8(1):78-79.
- PT in Motion Dec/Jan 2016 “Expanding Adherence”
http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/2016/11/Feature/ExtendingAdherence/
Ref: Ries E. EXTENDING ADHERENCE. PT in Motion. 2017;8(11):14-20.
- Impact Article (March 3, 2016): “Group exercise for wellness and prevention: A business opportunity to lead)”
http://www.ppsimpact.org/keeping-patients-well/
- Impact Article (October 10, 2016): “Innovation in wellness and prevention” (An article for the private practice section of the APTA)
http://www.ppsimpact.org/innovation-in-wellness-and-prevention/
- April 2017 PT in Motion “Cash-based practices”
http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/2017/4/Feature/CashBasedPractice/
- Innovation + Wellness= Groupable
PT in Motion News. The Good Stuff: Members and the profession in the media, August 2018. APTA website.
http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/News/2018/08/15/GoodStuffAugust2018/?_zs=I2QVW1&_zl=Ami45.
Accessed Aug 16, 2018
- PT in Motion May 2020 “Healthy Grown in Wellness Services”
https://www.apta.org/apta-magazine/2020/05/01/healthy-growth-in-wellness-services
Interview by the PHPW APTA 2020 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1elOhLpQhTh2K16UcsGZPFlvBF979WNO0lfmNiTQJnbs/edit?fbclid=IwAR0lTd6EVZm0hM6YlkI11llbfH6LXTbj9ndunyLKd6xio_PqQJN17ponw7M
Local Media:
- Greenville News: GroupHab Works to Keep Seniors Healthy
https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/golden-strip/2015/04/02/grouphab-works-keep-seniors-healthy-active/70847368/
- Greenville Business Journal: Healing Together
https://upstatebusinessjournal.com/jumpstart/healing-together/
- This is no ordinary rehab facility. The Greenville News 5/18/18
https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/opinion/2018/05/15/simpsonville-rehab-facility-helps-patients-regain-mobility-freedom/607412002/ - Move it to Monday. Your-Carolina.
https://www.wspa.com/entertainment/your-carolina/move-it-monday-grouphab-physical-therapy-and-wellness/1262726317 - Balance Screening with channel 7
https://www.wspa.com/entertainment/your-carolina/free-balance-screening-/1508005239
Presentations:
- Beyond the Wellness Exam: Offering PT-led solutions. APTA annual CSM convention February 2017. San Antonio TX
- Innovation in Wellness. South Carolina APTA annual convention in March 2017.
- Stay well with your physical therapist: A New Marketing Approach. APTA private practice annual convention 2017.
- The Wellness Puzzle: Where do Physical Therapist fit PPS annual convention Orlando Florida 2019
- Change the way you think about physical therapy: Alternative models of care.
Apta Annual convention Feb 2020. Denver CO
Published Research article. — https://ojs.bilpublishing.com/index.php/jgm/article/view/2310
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Initially, I was not looking to start my own business.
I wrote a proposal to the hospital where I was working to offer the PT-led group fitness program, and they did not accept the proposal. I submitted the idea with a proposal to the American Physical Therapy Association and they did not accept the idea. So, I went to my husband with the idea… After this rejection I really wanted to prove this model could work! We opened GroupHab doors in January 2015 and developed a program of medically targeted classes called TherHab Fitness.
It has not been smooth; it has been lots of work! It is a new idea that many people did not understand. No one has heard of physical therapy-led group fitness classes. Lots of education is required to let the public and medical community know how we are different. We had to demonstrate this works.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
GroupHab is our physical therapy clinic in Simpsonville SC. At GroupHab we developed a program of medically targeted, PT designed and led fitness classes (TherHab Fitness). A program that links therapy, rehab, and fitness. We have providers across the country who offer TherHab Fitness in their communities- expanding the reach of physical therapy. www.therhabfitness.com
What matters most to you? Why?
Ultimately, what matters the most is helping other people live their life to the fullest! For older adults who are frail, this means staying as active, strong and socially connected as possible. Quality of life is greatly correlated with good health, strength, mobility, and social support. Helping someone short-term is not enough!
Improving health of our nations older adult population should also help with the soring national health care expenditures.
This models creates a community which social support to frail older adults. Social support greatly improves quality of life and foster adherence to exercise. The model creates a family type of atmosphere, and we really get to know our patients in this model, allowing us to make a profound difference in their lives.
One day, I hope all physical therapy clinics include group fitness led by PT’s as well as individual 1:1 treatment.
