Why I Chose Private Practice
I knew since my second semester of graduate school that I wanted to one day have my own private practice. One of the guest speakers for our weekly graduate seminar presented on the topic of starting a private practice. Following this presentation, I began imagining the services I would provide, clients I would see, and the flexibility private practice would provide. However, I thought going into private practice could only be done after at least a decade in the field. I set starting a private practice as my ten year goal and sought employment in the medical setting to gain more clinical experience.
Following graduation, I worked primarily in skilled nursing facilities and acute care. In these settings, I had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of patient populations including; strokes, neurodegernative diseases, head and neck cancer, laryngectomies, traumatic brain injury, tracheostomies, developmental disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia- the list goes on and on. To ensure I was providing the best and most up-to-date treatment for my patients, I invested hundred of hours of time into continuing education courses.
The more I learned and became exposed to the latest research and evidence-based practice, I realized that patients weren’t receiving the best care. Patients with cognitive impairment were given puzzles or worksheets to somehow help them to learn how to manage their medication or go back to work. Patients who had suspected dysphagia (swallowing difficulty) were placed on modified diets or thickened liquids without an instrumental assessment (modified barium swallow study or flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing) to identify the cause of the swallowing difficulty or determine if a modified diet was event warranted. In cases where an instrumental swallowing exam was completed, patients were often placed on overly restrictive diets or the reports were incomplete and did not provide appropriate information to develop a treatment plan. In the case of purchasing equipment such as neuromuscular electrical stimulation or implementing new treatment approaches, facilities were either uninterested in best practice or they did not want to invest the time and money required. “We’ve always done it that way” was sufficient. Possibly the worst yet, patients who wanted to decline recommendations for a modified diet were not provided with the right to chose to eat what they wanted and were forced to consume modified diets or thickened liquids.
Each day felt like a battle. I was frustrated, burnt out, discouraged, done. I realized I had a choice: I could continue to be frustrated or I could change my situation. I remembered my dreams of starting a private practice. I realized that not only could I start a private practice, but that it was my responsibility to do so. To partner with my patients to provide the most functional and person-centered services to reach the goals that were meaningful to them. I made the choice to start my private practice and I haven’t looked back.
My mom bought a magnet for me with this quote on it. I hung it above my desk, so I could read it every day. Starting a private practice was all new to me, but it was also something I knew I had to do to be able to provide the most evidence-based, person-centered, and functional treatment. My patients are why I chose and continue to choose private practice. I look forward to partnering with you to achieve your goals.
