Today we’d like to introduce you to James and Molly Poenitzsch.
James and Molly, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
We (Molly and James) met in physical therapy school at Texas Woman’s University here in the medical center of Houston and worked together at an outpatient orthopedic clinic for two years.
Over the years working in the industry, we’ve seen how many facilities push quantity rather than quality and often with outdated physical therapy treatments. Some physical therapists are pressured to see as many patients as they can to increase profits for the company, which impairs patient care and worsens outcomes. This also stresses out the physical therapists and leads quickly to burnout.
We wanted to open a clinic where we could spend more time with our patients and provide a holistic approach to their recovery by incorporating nutrition counseling and other services including personal training and wellness yoga. We emphasize individualized, evidence-based practice in which the best interventions are utilized per patient, not just doing the same cookie cutter approach.
We also enjoy helping in the community with events and volunteer opportunities. We want to grow our following to be able to provide more helping hands in the community. We both grew up being very active with sports and hobbies, and love to instill an active lifestyle in our patients so they may continue to do the things they enjoy for as long as possible pain-free.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been a tough start with a huge weight on our shoulders due to taking on the financial burden of a start-up business. Other struggles include trying to become in-network providers with medical insurances like Medicare. We actually had a previous patient, who is a veteran, help us get in network with his insurance so that we would be able to see veterans with TriWest insurance. Another struggle is that patients do not have direct access to physical therapy in Texas.
That means you must first see a physician of any kind, or even a chiropractor or dentist, to get a prescription for physical therapy. Direct access would allow our patients to come to see us directly without a prescription or referral from another healthcare professional, similar to being able to see a chiropractor directly for treatment. At this point, patients can see a physical therapist for an evaluation without a prescription, but they are unable to have any form of treatment without a referral.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Live to Move Physical Therapy & Wellness – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My wife and I are both Doctors of Physical Therapy that have specialized in orthopedics and manual therapy, which means we use our hands to assess and treat joint & soft tissue mobility problems. We have really tried to hone our skills by gaining additional knowledge and certifications including Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist (COMT). I (James) am currently working on my fellowship in orthopedics so that I can be a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapy (FAAOMPT).
What we are most proud of is that all of our patients are treated by Doctors of Physical Therapy. We set ourselves apart by providing the highest level of care by only utilizing Doctors of Physical Therapy for patient care. Also, we currently see one patient per hour, so they have constant one-on-one time with their physical therapist. Most other clinics will have one to two patients scheduled every 30 minutes.
We are also proud that we have patients that will travel from far distances, including Galveston, Southeast Houston, and League City to be treated by us. This is a real testament to the care that we provide. We are in the business of getting our patients better not just to increase our bottom line.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Eventually, we will hire more Doctor’s of Physical Therapy to join our team, and we will ensure that they are focused on patient-centered care and always expanding their knowledge. We want to provide an environment where physical therapists enjoy working with patients and are not overloaded with too many patients and documentation.
We hope to grow enough to start another location, and eventually change the face of outpatient physical therapy to what it should be. We look forward to continuing to serve our community via physical therapy, wellness, and volunteering.
Contact Info:
- Address: 11540 Magnolia Parkway, Manvel, TX 77578
- Website: www.livetomovept.com
- Phone: 281-213-0642
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: livetomovept
- Facebook: @LiveToMovePT
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/live-to-move-physical-therapy-and-wellness-manvel?osq=Live+to+Move+Physical+Therapy+%26+Wellness
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
