Speaker: Alex Theodores, Area Director, Physical Therapist
Alex Theodores: Hey guys, my name is Alex Theodoros, and I've been working for Ivy Rehab for about 5 years now. I started working for them in Westchester, New York in 2020 and transferred to Charlottesville, Virginia about 3 years ago, where I started working as an area director.
Why did you decide to partner with Ivy to open your own clinic?
Alex Theodores: I decided to partner with Ivy and open up my own clinic in Charlottesville, Virginia because I've really been impressed with how the company has grown in the 5 years that I've worked for Ivy. I've worked with clinicians and partners in the past and have been interested in having my hands in the mix with building a clinic from the ground up. I think Ivy's been great at providing us partners with a lot of support and resources while also giving us the opportunity to create an individualized clinic based on the community needs. So I've really enjoyed the process from the beginning, but initially I got interested in it from seeing other partners and hearing them speak highly of the process.
What did the support and resources look like for an Ivy de novo partner?
Alex Theodores: Ivy provided me with a ton of support throughout the entire de novo process. They're invested in the clinic as well as me, so they want it to be a success as well. So knowing that I have a team that can help me find the right location, uh, negotiate the lease, um, help me with the build out, help me with the equipment ordering, really took a lot of weight off my shoulders and allowed me to still perform my day to day job, while knowing that I had good support and people on the side that were making phone calls and, emailing, the right people for me. And I had a really good team from my VP and my RD that answered questions along the way. And there was really never a moment where I felt that I wasn't supported. Investing in a company or investing in any business, it could be stressful. So knowing that I had the backing of a company that has shown really successful growth over a number of years that I've been a part of it, really took a lot of the pressure off of my shoulders.
What advice would you give to someone interested in opening your own clinic?
Alex Theodores: I would tell somebody interested in opening up their own clinic to find somebody within Ivy that has done it. And pick their brain about it. I felt that that was super helpful for me in the beginning when I was debating whether or not to open up a de novo. I sat down with my friend and previous coworker Steve and talked to him about the process and what that looked like. I also sat down with my regional director and we went over the possibilities of, you know, opening up a, a clinic in that area or a nearby area. And the more conversations I had. The more confident I felt that it was the right decision for me. I knew that I would be working in the area for the next few years, and it felt like a good opportunity to bet on myself and, you know, really have a lot of influence in how this new clinic began and operated.
