Augustana Therapy Services Reports Dramatic Growth and Expanded Services.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Augustana Therapy Services (ATS), a not-for-profit affiliate of the Augustana Care Corporation, approaches its five-year anniversary with a record of stunning growth. The company provides physical, speech and occupational therapy for Augustana's facilities and external clients, as well as consultative and prevention services. From an initial staff of 15 therapists on February 1, 2000, ATS now has over 100 employees and almost 50 contracts for full and part time and on-call staffing as well as consultative services.

"We started ATS with the goal of adding superior therapy services to the high quality of care provided by Augustana's various facilities," said director, Kristy Hoepner. "As we saw a growing need for ancillary services in the elderly housing and healthcare field, we responded by expanding the scope of our services far beyond Augustana's internal needs. ATS now offers consultative, staffing, and even preventative services, like the unique Access Solutions, an in-home prevention program that designs home environment modifications so that seniors can live in their own homes longer."

Outside services offered by ATS include rehabilitation department management and staffing for healthcare facilities. Through its consultative services, ATS also helps clients enhance revenues with audits of therapy departments' documentation and billing, and analyzing therapy entities/facilities operations.

Hoepner projects that strong growth will continue for ATS's therapy and related services in the metro, as well as throughout Minnesota and in surrounding states, especially as the demand for senior services escalates with the aging baby boom population. "The Business Journal, Minneapolis/St. Paul Book of Lists 2005" ranks ATS ninth in rehabilitation centers, although the company has grown significantly since the ranking was tabulated. ATS also has begun new marketing efforts to support its new and continuing services.

Hoepner says that while the company has expanded in response to changing needs in the marketplace, a continuing factor in ATS's growth has been the quality of its services, which consistently rank high. Quality of care is tracked by surveys sent to all administrative clients, and all therapy patients. Scores have remained high, with current client surveys showing overall "exceeds," the top ranking, and patient surveys showing overall "excellent" scores.

The retention rate of ATS therapists has also been well above average, attesting, says Hoepner, to the company's quality-focused belief system. "We really live the adage that if you consistently offer a quality product, financial success will follow," said Hoepner. "Our therapists are also committed to caring for an older population, which is essential in providing superior care." Hoepner's own clinical experience as a therapist and later an administrator in a for-profit therapy services company has also helped her gain a global and entrepreneurial perspective as director of Augustana Therapy Services.