April Spotlight: Meet Our Featured Physical Therapist of the Month

Meet Dr. Christina Booth: Juggling toddlers, sweet treats, while healing your aches and pains!

Dr. Booth lives and treats in Pensacola, FL. She completed an orthopedic residency upon graduation from PT school and also specializes in women's health.

What is your favorite thing about being a PT?

My favorite thing about being a PT is the impact that I have on my patients. I love how I am able to work with people on a very personal, impactful, and meaningful way. I love to focus on treating the entire person rather than a body part - I focus on nutrition, hydration, sleep, stress management, and more. There are so many factors that impact our lives that need to be addressed, and I’m honored to be the healthcare professional to help my patients achieve their goals in a holistic way. 

How has your practice changed since joining CO?

I have only been with CO for a few months, but I honestly have already become a better physical therapist. The autonomy that comes with working with CO comes with a responsibility to stay up to date with research, prioritize marketing, and show your patients that cash-based PT is well worth it. 

How is Telehealth changing the face of healthcare and how is it beneficial to you as well as your patients?

Like many healthcare workers, I first experienced working through telehealth during the brink of COVID. Honestly, it was a change I didn’t know that I needed. I would go from treating in a busy clinic, often seeing multiple patients at one time, to seeing one patient through a screen for a full hour session. It made me remember that a huge reason why I became a physical therapist was how much time we are able to spend with our patients compared to many other healthcare professions. I care so much about treating the person instead of the body part - telehealth is helping us reconnect with our patients and remember that physical therapy is not about getting patients in and out of the clinic, it’s about providing the best quality care to people to improve their lives. 

How did you find CO?

I found CO by searching for remote physical therapy jobs. I initially was looking for something that would focus on telehealth, which would allow me to treat from home while my newborn had in-home care. I am so fortunate to have found a company that allows telehealth, but allows me to treat within patients’ homes or in my home as well. 

What can you tell us about your hiring and onboarding experience?

Let me just say, Kelli has been amazing! I first reached out to her over a year ago about my interest in this company. We had a great conversation about me joining her team, but shortly after I realized I wasn’t quite ready to get back into PT after having my son - at the time he was not even 3 months old. Kelli was so incredibly patient and understanding. Fast forward to now, and she welcomed me with open arms. She has been a great support and mentor, and I know I can reach out whenever I have questions or need advice. 

What are your goals for the next year of your CO practice?

The goals of my next year with CO is to continue growing my practice. I have only just started seeing patients within the last few months, mainly within their homes, which has been amazing. I was able to set up a great home office, and want to take advantage of it! I also want to focus on recruiting patients to see through telehealth. During the peak of COVID, I did see a few patients via telehealth who didn’t feel comfortable coming into our clinic. I saw how amazing the results can be by treating through a screen and getting creative with exercises based on what a patient has in their home. Treating via telehealth will allow me to really broaden my spectrum by seeing patients all over the state of Florida. 

What is your favorite part about working with CO?

My favorite part about working with CO is the amount of autonomy I have, while still knowing how much support and mentorship available to me when needed. My first priority in my life is my family - I have a one year old son who has completely stollen my heart. At the same time, I love being a PT and helping others live a better life. With CO, I am able to schedule all of my patients according to what works best for my family. I am even able to treat people within my home or take my son with me to appointments. All of my patients have been extremely understanding and supportive of me balancing my love for treating patients while also prioritizing my amazing job of being a mom. 

What tips and tricks can you share with other PTs to recruit cash-pay patients?

I would say start close to home, literally! One of the first things I did was post in my neighborhood Facebook page and I ended up getting a good amount of interest. I also provided discounts while marketing - once you get a good amount of patients who see what you can do, marketing comes easier simply by word of mouth.