6- FOXcast OT: Our Home Office Is Our Heart

Jimmy: This episode of FOXcast was a little different, recorded live at our home office of FOX rehabilitation in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. There was about 200 people in the audience, all from our home office staff. Then we brought some members of that staff up on stage and asked them what they did for FOX, why they do it, and why they are still here.

Of course we see our clinicians on the front lines. There is a giant support network behind them. So our goal today was highlight a few stories from people so we can find out a little bit more about them and what their job is like. Here’s what it sounded like.

Welcome to FOXcast, a podcast for clinicians made by clinicians. It’s brought to you by FOX Rehabilitation. Find out more at foxrehab.org.

Welcome to FOXcast, recorded live in Cherry Hill, New Jersey at the Home Office of FOX Rehabilitation. My name is Jimmy McKay; I’m a physical therapist and your host for FOXcast this afternoon. We’re doing something a little bit different. Just last week, we were at the Combined Sections Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana which I was informed several times I was saying it wrong. It’s “NAWLENS”. We listened to some great presentations, talked to some amazing physical therapist. Now we’re turning it around. There’s something different with the model at FOX Rehabilitation. There are therapists: OTs PTs EPs SLPs all out in the field. But if they’re out in the field, there’s got to be a home base. There’s got to be a home where the heart is. You can laugh even when I’m mildly not funny. So we want to turn the tables turn the microphones internally to some people on our team and let’s find out what they do so introduce yourself.

Jack: My name is Jack Savage and the practice liason.

Jimmy: Let’s hear it for Jack.

Megan: And I am Megan Morelli, I’m a practice liaison.

Jimmy: Let’s hear it for Megan. The first question is always the hardest. What the heck do you do?

Jack: Basically we solve problems. We are a point of contact for the clinicians in the field to the home office and every five minutes is something different from home office to the RD’s to the clinicians whatever they need. We try to handle.

Jimmy: Give me an example of a call. What are the problems? There’s got to be a wide array of things that you deal with.

Megan: One of our main cause is finding out what is going on with clients insurance or getting them to their active list. All the way to durable medical equipment.

Jimmy: So pretty much lots of stuff that would take up a therapist’s time in the field when they should be one on one with a client. You’re dealing with that you’re solving that problem.

Megan: Absolutely I think it’s an array of different things and our main goal is to be the support to the field and get them an accurate quick responses so they can continue doing what they do best.

Jimmy: Like what you do?

Jack: I love it. I love what I do. It’s great that there’s such a variety of things we get to do. It’s right in my wheelhouse of trying to solve the puzzle whatever that could be whether it’s an insurance issue or calling a doctor or calling a patient. Getting it to the point where our clinicians can do what they’re passionate about which is being with a patient and getting them well.

Megan: Like what you do. I do I love it.

Jimmy: Not just saying that because your supervisor is here?

Megan: NO. I’ve been with FOX almost nine years and had several different positions and this is honestly the best one. I think being able to work with our clinicians and develop that relationship. Help them do what they do best and be the support for them. It’s a good feeling.

Jimmy: Yeah. We’ll stay with Meghan. We ask every guest what’s your FOXtale? Why did you start working here what do you still work here?

Megan: I came from a hotel. I’m working there and I think that guest services is by background, service excellence. Came to FOX because it was new and interesting and I stayed because the passion behind it and knowing that we’re doing great things for the older population to keep them staying strong.

Jimmy: Jack what’s your FOXtale?

Jack: I came to FOX last year in April from a career in teaching. I actually taught at a school right next door.

Jimmy: So just like the commute?

Jack: I just love the commute. So it’s just an extra 100 yards. And I was just looking for something different something different from teaching. Having been next door wondering what they do there at FOX. I had a friend that worked here who told me how much she loved being here every day. It’s been a blessing ever since.

Jimmy: Love that. All right we’re going to pick up some more people on what varied role. Where’s Vince? Where’s Louis? Come on up. And the cool part is this awkward switch what does edit that out. So Kim Baker never has to listen to that again. All right. Two more FOX colleagues this year for these guys we got Louis events terribly shy I can tell.

Vince: FREAKING OUT.

Jimmy: Vince what do you do. What do you do here at FOX rehabilitation?

Vince: How’s everyone doing today?

Jimmy: Vince working the room.

Vince: I am the university relations specialist here.

Jimmy: Very special. Louis what do you do?

Louis: I am the billing supervisor here at FOX. I’m moving to be the admissions supervisor.

Jimmy: Nice, we’ll stay with Louis. I’ve no idea what either of those jobs are. But the cool part is I’ve got you. So explain explain it since you’re doing this kind of transition. What did you do what are you going to be doing. Tell us about it.

Louis: What I do know is I do the back end of billing making sure the bills go out for the clinicians that when they treat, handle all of the rejections, we handle credentialing credentials. Basically when the clinician is credentialed we make sure all the charges are released for them. What I’m going to be doing is working in the front end so basically getting the clinician onboard working them and getting the insurance involved in making sure things up to par before we go ahead in them and get them into our offices.

Jimmy: So it has a lot of moving parts especially in any industry but especially when you’re in healthcare with a lot of things that need notary Republics. There are I’s to be dotted T’s to be crossed and you understand different parts of that so you’re able to bring that expertise and you put those things together.

Louis: Yes sir.

Jimmy: Like working with FOX

Louis: Yes I do. The culture here. We’re going in a positive way. We help out like piggyback off of what Megan said you know helping the elderly population is something we are passionate about. I’m passionate about. It’s exciting.

Jimmy: As a person who treated clients in the field. I had to do a lot of those things myself and I wanted to hit my head against the wall. A lot of it. But you get it you’re better at that than I was. And you take things off of the clinician’s plate they never have to even think or worry that just call. You’re their guy. You always have to have a guy. You’re there guy.

Louis: Sounds good. I’ll credit my team does an awesome job they handle a lot in the front lines and you know take the hard stuff you know with clinicians and them calling in and always trying to play problem solving. So my team especially I got to give them a shout out.

Jimmy: We’ll go to Vince right now. Vince university relations. How long have you been with FOX?

Vince: Since July 2016.

Jimmy: It’s a unique situation unique petri dish here so many different things go on here. The Home Office people might assume they know what you do but what you do?

Vince: As the university relations specialist we really serve as an extension of the recruitment team. We are the road warriors, if you will. We go out to all the different colleges, conferences, career fairs. Brand FOX and educate new graduates coming into the field on what we do and try and get them to work for us.

Jimmy: Vince and I have traveled together a lot of interesting things that pop up. On any trips that you’ve taken any interesting situations Any fun stories from the road warrior?

Vince: I plead the Fifth.

Jimmy: HR is in row 2. It’s OK.

Vince: It is always very interesting though at least in relation to you and I. We did just go down to University of Alabama Birmingham. So their mascot is a dragon and his name is, Blaze. So we were hanging out with a bunch of people who really favor blaze the Dragon.

Jimmy: So in the past time activity to blaze the Dragon.

Vince: So you have little things here and there.

Jimmy: Like that but like what you do?

Vince: Love what I do. It’s fun.

Jimmy: You do a lot of hard work here at the home office right? So it’s good when you’re the representation of that you know. Especially with students, younger, fresh clinicians in all the disciplines. You’re the physical embodiment of that. You’re the road warriors. We appreciate that.

Vince: Thank you. I will stay with you.

Jimmy: What’s your FOXtale?

Vince: So I started my wonderful boss Kristie Mendenhall. She reached out to me on LinkedIn and really sold me on FOX. I love the mission the culture. Starting day one. I love it here. The reason I stay is definitely the people and I’m not saying that to be cliche. Everyone. All different departments I mean it makes a really big difference when you’re working with people who you really enjoy, and you can wake up every day and feel proud to on the work.

Jimmy: So you got the mic back. Now it is about you again. Louis, what’s your FOXtale?

Louis: Came here eight years ago was referred by a friend like to what they were presenting to me so I came in and you know after that you know I loved the people here met a lot of interesting people but it’s also a family community here in the Home Office. Home Office we do have a unique bond with each other here so you know it’s a good place to come in everyday and see everyone.

Jimmy: When they asked me to do this I was like Yes absolutely because you work in different places for the same practice. How do you make sure that everybody kind of is on the same page? That’s what this conversation really was about we want to learn more about what specifically you we really wanted to do hand you a microphone. We didn’t ask this before but you brought something up. What would you want clinicians working in the field for FOX to know?

Louis: That we’re here to support them. We’re on the same team. We all have the same mission we have the same goal is to help each other out and you know make work as easy as possible, give each other mutual respect. We understand what they do out there you know respect what we’re doing here as well trying to make their lives easier. That’s all.

Jimmy: Well done. Guys her off the hot seat. We got two more. Last two the day where is Kathleen Zoll and Jane?

Jane: I am the voice of FOX. Not just me, my team is the voice. Everybody out there probably hears me on the phone because I’m kind of loud.

Jimmy: But what does that mean you’re the voice?

Jane: Well we are the call center. So all the calls that come in the come to our department. So I answer we send out e-mails to the clinician saying, “Hey your client sick they’re not coming in today”. Things like that.

Jimmy: So, the calls coming in are from clients?

Jane: Mostly clients and doctors offices also.

Jimmy: I bet you do a lot of juggling and multitasking.

Jane: Yes.

Jimmy: As a former clinician full time we had to do that at different places. You know a place other than FOX and that that’s a lot. Just brainpower you must be juggling a lot of things in your head. How am I going to reschedule this? And you’re doing this for multiple disciplines multiple clinicians all the same time?

Jane: Correct you there are times when I have five or six Raintree’s open on my screen. I have to go back and document cases I have to get those e-mails out to the RD’s.

Jimmy: You’re the kind of person I was like 57 tabs open right.

Jane: Yeah that kind of person.

Jimmy: There are two types of people in the world people who can deal with a million tabs and people who need just one. You’re like me. Fun experiences at FOX I mean you’re on the phones. You must have some stories. Are there any good HIPPA safe HR approved funny stories?

Jane: Yes I did have to call one RD because of a client stated that he “Pooed” all over her bathroom. So that was a really nice call that I had to do. And I said I figured I better call you and put it in an e-mail.

Jimmy: Yeah. Smart move. It’s a bumper sticker and it’s true.

Jane: I do get a lot of calls that are fun.

Jimmy: OK. And you like what you do?

Jane: I love what I do.

Jimmy: Loving what you do. Kathleen really like that story, the Poo one. Kathleen what do you do here at FOX?

Kathleen: I’m a practice liaison.

Jimmy: So how long have you been doing the practice liaison thing?

Kathleen: Fourteen months.

Jimmy: Like it’s so far?

Kathleen: Love it.

Jimmy: What other roles have you had here?

Kathleen: Customer Care Coordinator team lead program integrity. I’ve worked with some internal auditing for clinicians and their documentation did that for a while and now I’m here.

Jimmy: Any funny practice stories? I’m just I’m here for the fun stories that’s really what I’m here for. What do you got from practice liaison or anything you can divulge?

Kathleen: We get a whole range. We really do. I think the best thing that I recently did was I was able to cancel appointments for a clinician because his wife was having a baby. So when I called to say I’m canceling the appointment the excitement from his clients, they were so excited. They were like the babies here the babies here! and I’m like now she’s on our way. She’s on. Oh my god. Oh my god will you let me know can you give me his address? I want to send a gift. Like they just love their clinicians and to hear the difference that they make with their clients. It makes our day that much better. Like those are my favorite types of stories.

Jimmy: Let’s hear from that. I feel like what you just told that 15-20 second story said so much. Number one how the client felt about their therapist. Number two the fact that you were there to deliver that message because the therapist needed to be somewhere else. There was something at that moment that was more important and you had it covered.

Kathleen: And they were totally OK with the appointment being canceled.

Jimmy: Because they want pictures next time right?

Kathleen: Right. And no one gave me a hard time. So that was awesome.

Jimmy: That’s great. So we’ll stay with you Kathleen what’s your FOXtale? Why’d you come or why are you still here?

Kathleen: I love it here. It’s the people it’s so culture. It’s the people here. It’s being able to have the flexibility. FOX understands that you have a life outside of FOX and that things happen. Sometimes you have to leave on a moment’s notice because something’s going on and they understand and they work with you.

Jimmy: All right Jane foxtail time what you got for me.

Jane: My mother in law lived with us and we needed to have some therapy for her dementia and knees and all that sort of stuff. And I’m apologize I don’t remember that physical therapist name and my mother in law was hard. She was a hard woman and they came out and she just look at them and say No I’m not going to do that. And I pulled that lady aside. I said this is what she does. Maybe you should tell you’re going to buy her ice cream. That’s her thing. So this woman would be working with her and she’d say Norma. Jane we’ll go get to that ice cream cone if you do this and then out to the little ice cream store we had down the road I’d go get her ice cream I’d come back and give her ice cream and her therapist beside me. She did an awesome job. I just watched that and I could just see the passion and I said you know what that is an awesome place to work. So then came over to FOX and been here for six years. I think it’s been now.

Jimmy: Love the fact it’s ok that you didn’t. The physical therapist name because Maya Angelou say. They won’t remember what you said but don’t remember the way you made them feel and you felt that. And that’s why you sought FOX out.

Jane: And I do tend to when I get those people that are careing for their parents and things like that I always try to to remind them because I’ve been through it and dementia it is horrible thing and you don’t know about it until you live it. And I say to them just remember you’re doing the best that you can do. Be their advocate. It’s OK. And I tend to you know tell that story over and over and over to our new clients coming on because it makes them relax a little bit. They’ll listen to it just talk to them. That’s one of the reasons why I stay.

Jimmy: Let’s here for Jane. You bring up a great point. Can someone in the Home Office who never actually lays hands on a client can if you never touch a patient. Can you actually touch a patient?.

Jane: Yes absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely. It’s hard when you get the people that are mad and angry and they go on and on and on and they’re yelling at. And I just say I understand you were an advocate for your mom for your dad for your grandparents. It’s ok to be mad. I’m going to be here to help you. And then we get walk it through.

Jimmy: Let’s here it for these ladies. So that’s that’s a podcast. The goal is people within our own practice will understand what actually goes on. I mean it’s just fun to hear stories right. I mean good ones ones that are told by passionate people. And then if this leaks out because this is on iTunes and Google Play can be heard anywhere a smartphone is. The idea is, it’s not an ad it’s a conversation. I don’t want to tell you what FOX is, I want to show you. But actually I want you to show everybody what FOX rehabilitation is. Let’s hear it for everyone who came on stage today. Thanks for listening to FOXcast, a clinically excellent podcast. It’s brought to you by FOX Rehabilitation. Listen to other episodes or read articles and position papers at foxrehab.org.