34 Years Serving the Twin Cities – Always Independent, Now EMPLOYEE-OWNED!
Saunders Therapy Centers, Inc is an independent physical and occupational therapy practice founded in 1988 by local physical therapists Duane Saunders and his daughter Robin Saunders Ryan. Partner Dan Wolfe retired in 2015.
Effective October 29, 2021, Saunders Therapy Centers became an Employee-Owned company! Prior to the transaction, we were a certified Woman Owned Business by the WBENC, the most rigorous and respected certification organization in the US.
What does employee-ownership mean for you?
Our employees own 100% of Saunders Therapy Centers stock – they are fully invested in making sure your experience is outstanding. Clinicians and customer service experts – not accountants – are in leadership positions. Our owners directly benefit by keeping you happy and healthy, and it shows!
Research from the National Center for Employee Ownership has shown that employee ownership tends to substantially improve company performance and employee financial well-being. Employee-ownership ensures clinical excellence and long-term thinking.
Read More about Saunders’ Employee Ownership (ESOP) Here
What does independence mean for you?
Because we are an independent private practice, we have no financial ties to any hospital, physician, or insurance group. Therefore, our success depends on providing outstanding clinical care and customer service. Did you know that many physician practices are incentivized to refer to specific corporate networks? Our physical and occupational therapists get referrals because of their specific expertise. Many of our referrals are word-of-mouth from friends or family members. Here’s more:
- Physical and occupational therapists know physical and occupational therapy – No corporate HR person is involved in hiring our staff. We are picky. Our PTs and OTs come from universities with strong reputations in orthopedic care.
- Fair pricing – Because we are independent, Saunders Therapy Centers can offer great care at a fair price – we are not used as a profit center for larger, multi-specialty medical centers, hospitals, or insurance-owned facilities.
Saunders’ philosophy can be summarized in these guiding principles:
- Rigorous education and training
- Consistency with ONE therapist team
- Concern with cost-effectiveness
Rigorous Education and Training
Saunders clinicians have graduated from PT or OT programs with strong reputations. All therapists are required to complete an intensive mentorship program, regardless of their experience level at the time they join our practice. This helps to ensure consistency in evaluation and treatment skills, thought process and overall philosophy. Many on our team have also developed further specialization in areas such as pelvic health, TMJ (jaw) dysfunction, and rehabilitation of industrial injuries. We are skilled in ergonomics, body mechanics and posture training, and emphasize prevention of reinjury.
Consistency with ONE Therapist/Assistant Team
Unlike many of our competitors, we make sure you see the same therapist or therapist/assistant team at each visit. This philosophy results in more concentrated hands-on care, consistent education, and targeted exercise progression. You will notice the difference! Progress more quickly through your rehabilitation, save money, and more quickly return to function.
Concern with Cost-Effectiveness
At Saunders, we are aware that most of our clients are paying out-of-pocket for a large portion of their care. Insurance rates and medical costs keep rising year after year. We have always been committed to being part of the solution, not the problem. To this end, we focus on essential hands-on techniques and patient education to TEACH you the best way to quickly recover and prevent reinjury. We will not waste your time or money with techniques that aren’t shown to have a lasting benefit. We work with you to integrate self-exercise at home or at your health club so that every visit at our clinics is efficient and effective. On average, the number of visits required to achieve your goals is lower at Saunders than at many other clinics.
Feedback
At Saunders, we take feedback seriously. We work hard to ensure that our patients can expect great results from our care and advice. We encourage reviews and monitor Google, Facebook, and other social media sites to make sure we are measuring up. Our management team is on “high alert” to respond to every suggestion for improvement. Feedback from patients, QRCs, and physicians is used to determine best practices, prevent unnecessary treatments, and make sure our techniques are maximally effective.